While the government is betting on execution to silence critics, the Opposition has made it clear that it will closely monitor the process and mobilise resistance if farmers’ concerns are not addressed.
Published Jan 07, 2026 | 11:38 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 07, 2026 | 11:38 AM
Amaravati capital city design by previous TDP government. (Supplied)
Synopsis: The TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh began the second phase of land pooling for the Amaravati capital region, aimed at securing land for key infrastructure projects. YSRCP accused the government of reviving land pooling without addressing unresolved issues from the first phase and alleged that farmers were being pushed into giving away land under pressure.
Defying sustained opposition from rival political parties and farmer groups, the TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh began the second phase of land pooling for the Amaravati capital region on Wednesday, 7 January. The procurement of the 16,666.5 acres of land bears its firm intent to push ahead with long-stalled capital development works.
The renewed land pooling exercise commenced in Vaddamanu village, with the government planning to extend it in phases to seven villages across parts of Guntur and Palnadu districts.
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Ponguru Narayana and local MLA T Shravan Kumar formally initiated the process as officials took consent letters from farmers for the acquisition of land under the land pooling scheme. In the evening, a gram sabha is scheduled in Endrayi village.
The move is aimed at securing land for key infrastructure projects, including the Inner Ring Road, railway track, Sports City, Seed Axis road, and other core components of the Amaravati master plan.
With land pooling beginning amidst political crossfire, the Amaravati issue is once again at the centre of Andhra Pradesh’s political discourse. While the government is betting on execution to silence critics, the Opposition has made it clear that it will closely monitor the process and mobilise resistance if farmers’ concerns are not addressed.
On Tuesday, announcing the decision to commence the second phase of land pooling, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister said that the second phase was crucial to restoring Amaravati’s growth momentum and dismissed fears being raised by opposition parties as politically motivated.
“There is no question of forcible acquisition. This is a transparent land pooling process, being carried out strictly as per rules and with due safeguards for farmers,” Narayana said, addressing the media after the 57th Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Seeking to allay the fears of farmers ahead of the launch, Narayana said development works were already progressing at scale in the capital region. He pointed out that infrastructure development was underway across 34,000 acres pooled during the first phase, with construction of 4,026 residential buildings for government officials picking up pace.
“The Assembly, High Court complex and five administrative towers will be completed within the committed timelines,” he said, adding that Amaravati would soon emerge as a globally recognised capital.
The minister said the government was working under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision to establish smart industries, an international airport, an international Sports City, railway connectivity, and a Krishna riverfront marina, all of which required land aggregation under the second phase.
Opposition YSRCP accused the government of reviving land pooling without addressing unresolved issues from the first phase and alleged that farmers were being pushed into giving away land under pressure.
YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu said: “He (Naidu) is deceiving farmers in the name of building a world-class capital city… Farmers gave 35,000 acres a decade ago, yet they have not received the promised returnable plots.”
According to officials, the second phase will cover 16,666.57 acres across seven villages. This includes:
After allotting developed plots and providing infrastructure, around 2,500 acres will be utilised for the Sports City, railway track and Inner Ring Road.
Land pooling notifications have already been issued for Vaikunthapuram, Peddamadduru, Yendrayi and Karlapudi villages. The process beginning on Wednesday will involve pooling about 1,900 acres in Endrayi village alone.
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar said: “CRDA has approved five major proposals, including ratification of 754 sanctioned posts in APCRDA, sanction of pensions to seven orphaned minor children in the capital region, permission to relocate 112 commercial plots affected by Vastu-related issues, and allocation of one acre for the Krishna riverfront marina under the tourism policy.”
Amaravati’s land pooling model, first introduced in 2015 by the TDP government, was once hailed as an innovative alternative to compulsory land acquisition. Farmers voluntarily pooled land in return for developed plots, annuity payments, and long-term appreciation.
However, the project suffered a major setback after 2019, when the then YSRCP government proposed a three-capital model, triggering widespread protests by Amaravati farmers who feared the dilution of the capital’s status. Years of legal battles, policy reversals, and stalled construction followed, deepening mistrust among landowners.
The TDP government insists that conditions have fundamentally changed now. Officials argue that with political clarity, court hurdles largely resolved, and funds being mobilised, Amaravati’s development is now irreversible.
The government has also assured that:
Official sources said that the second phase is not an expansion for speculative purposes but a functional necessity for creating transport corridors, civic infrastructure and global-standard facilities.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
