AP plans green network in Amaravati

Amaravati: The AP government is planning to approach the World Bank for financial assistance to take up the ‘Green Development Project’ in Amaravati at an estimated cost of Rs 1,484 crore. The government needs 70% of the funds to complete the project.

The Amaravati Development Corporation (ADC) has been given a targeted time of three years for the completion of the project aimed at transforming the landscape of Amaravati region into a green urban living body. The ADC planned 7,200 trees along the seed access road, 4,400 at the Shakamuru major park and 24,000 trees along seven main roads in the capital city.

As the ADC is planning to launch the Green Development Project on November 18, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu conducted a teleconference from Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday with ministers and officials. He suggested to the ADC to plan the green network with an interconnection of water bodies. The greenery in the city should nullify carbon emissions and must target zero carbon emission.

“The project should be planned to develop Amaravati into a best tourist destination in the world. Global investors should invest in Amaravati and the fruits shall be given to all people of the state. Recently it was known that a square foot of space in capital region got an offer price of Rs 5,500 from NRIs.

The price is due to expectations of standards of life in capital and the credibility of State government,” he said. “The public spaces should be planned in the form of ecosystem instead of mere concrete structures,” he added. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana told the Chief Minister that the green and blue belt would reflect the culture and heritage of the city that was a capital of five kingdoms in ancient and medieval periods.

The Chief Minister said the sustenance of the development activities in the green field capital city are important and the green development project needs to consider the resource management. ADC chairperson Lakshmi Pardhasaradhi said the Krishna River and several canals and village tanks would be networked with urban design principles.

She said engagement with various consultants was being done and several studies were done for the implementation of green and blue networks. She said Kadamba trees, Bodhi trees, Mahogany trees, Neem trees, Kavuki trees, Peepal trees Silver trumpet tree, flowering trees belonging to South America, Neem and Champaka trees would be planted on both sides of the road and in the Shakamuru park.

Chief Minister told the officials that the city need to have three main components- urban residential gardens, public and private parks, gardens, and urban forest patches. The highways and internal roads shall have roadside avenues, walk away and urban greenways. “The greenery and vegetation in Amaravati need to cover one third part of the city. The project shall take the structures and belts that reduce erosion of soil into our water ways,” he said.

The Chief Minister also said the green development master plan should be an all-round consideration of environment and tourism as well as investments. Special chief secretary Satish Chandra, principal secretaries G Sai Prasad, Ajay Jain and CRDA commissioner Ch Sridhar participated.