Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh – Nearly a decade after plans for Amaravati to become Andhra Pradesh’s global capital city were first revealed, the broader Amaravati Region Master Plan still lacks formal approval from the state government, raising fresh concerns over the region’s urban development future.
According to sources in the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA), while the master plan for Amaravati’s core capital area received approval during the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime, the overall region master plan—which divides the capital region into nine development zones—was never officially ratified.
Originally drafted by Singapore-based urban consultancy Surbana Jurong in 2016, the region plan proposed separate layouts for the city and the surrounding capital region. The city plan was approved, but the larger region plan was left pending, and to this day, urban development still follows outdated 2004 VGTM zonal plans.
With the TDP government back in power under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, officials have reportedly realized that this long-pending issue could lead to legal and planning hurdles. In response, the APCRDA has now started the process of formally approving the plan, including public consultations.
The revised plan proposes major hubs across the region, such as:
Economic Hub in Gannavaram
Cultural Capital & Light Industry Zone in Tenali
Heavy Industries Hub in Sattenapalli
Tourism Hub in Old Amaravati
Additionally, all nine zones are proposed to be connected via a structured road network, ensuring better accessibility.
Experts say the current plan no longer reflects Amaravati’s real-time growth and shrinking green zones due to expanding residential layouts. Hence, amendments are essential.
The CRDA is now working on minor updates to the outdated Zonal Development Plans. If the revised Surbana Jurong-based proposal is approved, implementation of the full Region Master Plan will begin at last — possibly giving Amaravati’s long-stalled dream a new beginning.
