Andhra Pradesh government is proposing to develop14 Smart Cities covering all the districts and six smaller airports, including one at Kuppam, which falls in the Assembly Constituency represented by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
This was announced by the Chief Minister in the Assembly on Thursday while making the announcement that the capital city would be located around Vijayawada.
He said the government proposes to leverage the Smart Cities programme of the Union government to establish 14 Smart Cities. While two towns in East Godavari district - Kakinada and Rajahmundry- would be developed as Smart Cities, the other towns include Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Guntur, Nellore, Prakasam, Anantapur and Kurnool. Also Kadapa town would be developed into Industrial Smart City.
He said the government has prepared plans for the development of international airports at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati, apart from the airports at Puttaparthi and Rajahmundry. The airport at Kadapa was ready for inauguration. Besides Kuppam, the smaller airports were being planned to be established at Kurnool, Nellore, Ongole, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram.
Metro rail projectMr. Naidu said steps have already been initiated to develop Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati as mega cities with world class infrastructure facilities. The metro-rail project for Visakhapatnam was at an advanced stage of scrutiny by the Government of India, while it was decided to entrust the preparation of feasibility studies and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for Vijayawada and Tirupati Metro rail projects to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
He said the State government has prepared a comprehensive road and rail transport network that would open up the backward areas in the hinterland by connecting them to the existing trunk lines. Accordingly, the Roads and Buildings Department have prepared plans for new State Highways linking both Kurnool and Anantapur with Guntur.
Road projects to connect Anantapur to the new capital city via Giddalur, Kurnool to Vinukonda area and the Rayalaseema hinterland to the Krishnapatnam port were also being planned. He said plans were afoot to improve rail and road connectivity for Rayalaseema.
