Naidu May Lay Foundation for AP Capital on Ugadi.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is learnt to be planning to lay the foundation for the new capital city on Ugadi, March 21. Sources said geology experts from the Singapore government, which is preparing the design of the capital as per Naidu's request, recently visited the location between Vijayawada and Guntur, for soil testing.

Another team of architects, planners, civil engineers and designers from Singapore will visit the region soon after approval by the AP government of the blueprint for the city, being prepared by the Singapore government. 'The Chief Minister is firm on beginning construction at the earliest. He wants to complete the entire city by 2016,' TDP MLA Gadde Ramamohana Rao said. After deciding to construct a 44-storey skyscraper to house the Secretariat and other key offices, Naidu reportedly wants to develop a 22-km-long garden along the river Krishna and wants it to rival the famous Brindavan Gardens. . 'This garden will begin at the Prakasam barrage and spread along the banks of the river,' said a source. As per the tentative plan, all administrative blocks, including Secretariat, Assembly and Raj Bhavan, will come up on the banks of Krishna in Guntur district. 'The residence and office the CM will be on the other side in Krishna district,' said a leader. If the Ugadi plan fails, foundation for the capital may be laid on May 28, NTR's birth anniversary.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS