Until recently, Hyderabad functioned as the shared capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. But from now on, it will only serve as the capital of Telangana. Due to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act of 2014, Hyderabad ceased being the joint capital from June 2nd.
After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, Hyderabad was designated as the common capital for both states for a temporary period of 10 years. Telangana became the 29th state of India on June 2, 2014.
Hyderabad is one of India's largest metro cities with major global companies' offices located here. It's ranked amongst the world's fastest-growing cities with an expected GDP leap over 200 billion dollars.
Last month, Telangana’s Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy, directed the takeover of state-owned buildings, such as the Lake View Government Guest House, after June 2nd.
Why This Shift?
Demand for a separate Telangana persisted for decades. The bill for bifurcation was passed in Parliament in February 2014, leading to the formation of Telangana state.
According to Section 5(1) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, Hyderabad was to be the joint capital for 10 years from June 2014. Section 5(2) specified that after this term, Hyderabad would be the capital of Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh would establish a new capital.
What Is the Capital of Andhra Now?
Despite the 10-year mark, Andhra Pradesh has yet to reach a consensus on its capital. There have been plans under both the governments of Chandrababu Naidu and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, but no positive outcome yet.
In 2014, Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won the assembly elections and declared Amaravati the new capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for this new capital in October 2015, and a large land acquisition occurred.
Then the Government Changed
Naidu's government was rapidly developing Amaravati, but the electoral shift in 2019 brought in the YSR Congress party led by Jagan Mohan Reddy. The development of Amaravati stalled after their ascension to power.
In December 2019, Reddy introduced the 'Three Capitals Bill,' proposing Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, and Kurnool as the triple administrative nerve-centers of Andhra Pradesh.
This decision faced legal pushback, however, with the high court barring the government from creating three capitals, signalling an obligation to complete Amaravati's development within six months. This ruling is currently contested by the Andhra government in the Supreme Court.
In January last year, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy declared that Visakhapatnam would be the new capital. He reiterated this promise during recent elections, pledging to conduct his swearing-in ceremony there if re-elected on June 4th.
The Tri-Capital Plan's Implications
The matter of the three capitals is in the Supreme Court. If approved, Andhra Pradesh would be unique in India with three capitals, each specializing in different administrative functions.
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Visakhapatnam:
Located in the northeast of Andhra, this coastal city would handle executive functions, including the Chief Minister's residence and Governor's office.
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Amaravati:
Nestled in the center of Andhra, Amaravati would host the legislative assembly.
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Kurnool:
Once Andhra's capital, Kurnool would host the High Court and its benches throughout the state.
What's Next?
The Andhra Pradesh government previously utilized three buildings in Hyderabad. Since Hyderabad is no longer its capital, the Telangana government has started to reclaim these properties.
This January, Andhra's government requested Telangana preserve these buildings, even offering rent, but due to the election code of conduct, negotiations were stalled.
