After a wait of 1800 years, Amaravati to regain its capital status

Vijayawada, Oct 22: Amaravati, the upcoming capital of Andhra Pradesh, will today regain its capital status it had lost 18 centuries ago. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation-stone for the capital city on the occasion of 'Vijaya Dasami' today. Despite its glorious historical, political, archaeological, religious and cultural past, Amaravati, the once capital of Satavahana dysnasty, was neglected for ages. The Satavahana dynasty ruled the parts of the present day Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka for a period of 450 years with Amaravati as capital. The modern Amaravati is designated to be the 'gateway of India' on the east coast with exclusive zones for governance, greenery, tourism, commerce, trade, industry, knowledge and medicine. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu exhibited indomitable spirit and proved the skeptics wrong by collecting 33,000 acres of land for the capital city. This is the first time land was pooled for the capital city and the farmers will get back 30 per cent of their pooled land as developed city land. The region is connected by four national highways, one national waterway, rail route, an airport and a sea port in the vicinity.