Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to expedite key construction projects in the state’s capital, Amaravati. During the 52nd CRDA Authority meeting held at his camp office on Tuesday, the Chief Minister gave his nod to seven key proposals, including the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to oversee major projects.

This SPV will be responsible for projects such as the Greenfield Airport, an NTR statue, Smart Industries, an Iconic Bridge, Sports City, Riverfront development, a ropeway, and the inner ring road. The Chief Minister also instructed officials to include the bio-design project under the SPV, stating that it will be part of a planned Health City in Amaravati, similar to the Sports City. Naidu said that experts and organisations from seven countries are ready to partner in the Bio-design Project for public health services. Officials explained that the SPV will manage these projects from design and revenue generation to final construction.

The CRDA has also approved a tender for infrastructure development at the Amaravati Government Complex. This includes the construction of 53.68 km of roads and footpaths. The tender includes a provision for the winning company to handle road maintenance for seven years.

Additionally, the authority has approved a notification for urban design and architectural guidelines for the capital region. The Chief Minister emphasised that careful consideration must be given to approving designs to ensure that the entire city of Amaravati is visually appealing and that every building is a landmark.

With the increase in project activities, the CRDA has been authorised to hire additional staff on deputation and on-duty basis.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that several prominent hotels have expressed interest in building convention centres in the capital. The CM agreed to provide land for these projects, on the condition that the construction meets global standards.

Officials also reported that some land acquisition might be necessary for the master plan’s needs. The Chief Minister instructed them to hold discussions with farmers to ensure the process is carried out without causing them any hardship.

During a presentation on the Iconic Bridge project, Naidu suggested developing the islands in the Krishna river to attract tourism. The meeting was attended by minister P Narayana and senior officials from the municipal, CRDA, and other departments.