Open letter to Mr.Shivaramakrishnan
Chairman, Committee on new capital city for Residuary Andhra Pradesh
Sir,
I learn from media reports that you have been entrusted the task of identifying suitable place for locating capital city for residuary Andhra Pradesh State. There could not have been a better choice for the Government of India since your credentials as expert in urban management and planning are very high. I recall that on a previous occasion you have conducted a seminar at the CESS (Centre for Economic and Social Sciences) Hyderabad on the theme of making state capitals as cities of special status as part of larger design of establishing a network of global cities. Now that a capital city is being planned for the residuary Andhra Pradesh State which is entirely being financed by the Government of India it is appropriate that it is planned and built with all the features – infrastructural, legal and the rest of it – that will make the new capital city a truly global city with a special status such as union territory or specially administered area with autonomy. A new capital city built on these lines will serve as a forerunner to the grand idea of network of global cities that you intend to see them established. The new capital city of residuary Andhra Pradesh will be more amenable to being accorded the special status of the kind you have in mind since it is being built anew and free from any baggage of history. Therefore it is very unlikely that people of residuary Andhra Pradesh will oppose any move or policy recommendation that you may eventually make to accord special status with autonomy.
I would also urge you to recommend deployment of latest technology to build the new capital so that it is ready to function as a special city with autonomy in less than three years. The new capital city of residuary A.P which will be built as per your recommendations will truly be owner’s pride and neighbour’s envy. It will indeed be a proud trophy to have been won by the people of residuary Andhra Pradesh in the duel against division of the State.
For all the above stated facts and reasons I sincerely urge you to make a policy recommendation in favour of making the new capital city of residuary Andhra Pradesh a city of special status with a kind of autonomy that you have envisaged in the case of Hyderabad as part of your grandiose design of creating a network of metropolitan cities across the country and the globe. There can’t be a better opportunity than now. I hope and trust that you will confer this boon on the citizens of residuary Andhra Pradesh for which they shall ever remain beholden to you.
T.Vivek
Telangana History Society