There is one state in India that is operating without a capital city - and that is Andhra Pradesh.
This unique situation stems from a series of political and administrative decisions following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, which created the new state of Telangana.
Hyderabad was announced as the common capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a period of 10 years. But the political leadership chose to move away soon after bifurcation to operate out of a temporary set-up at Velagapudi, till their capital was built.
The deadline for sharing Hyderabad as capital also ended on June 2, 2024, and since then, Andhra Pradesh has been left without that either.
A state capital is crucial as it serves as the administrative hub, housing the primary government institutions such as the legislature, executive offices and judiciary. This centralisation of governance facilitates efficient administration, policy-making and public service delivery. It also acts as a focal point for political, cultural and economic activities. Moreover, the capital often symbolises the state's identity and heritage, playing a vital role in its historical and cultural narrative.
What about Amaravathi?
Situated in Guntur district at the heart of the state, on the bank of River Krishna, Amaravathi was named Andhra Pradesh's capital after the state's bifurcation by Chandrababu Naidu, who was then the chief minister.
He estimated in 2015 that Rs 51,000 crore will be needed to build a "world class futuristic and smart capital" for Andhra Pradesh. Mr Naidu acquired 33,000 acres of land from farmers and roped in Singapore-based firms to build the city.
But in 2019, Mr Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) lost the election and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP came to power. Mr Reddy stalled all the projects and reduced the budget of the new capital, leading to Singapore firms' exit from the project. The YSRCP chief instead planned three capital cities - an issue that ran into legal trouble and landed on Supreme Court's door.
Revival of the project
Mr Naidu won the state election this year and on the eve of his swearing-in as Andhra Pradesh chief minister in June, he confirmed that Amaravathi will be the state capital.
Mr Naidu also said that Visakhapatnam will be developed as the economic capital and an advanced special city.
Earlier this month, Mr Naidu released a White Paper on 'Amaravathi - The people's capital' and asserted that he will rebuild the capital city in the quickest possible time by removing the hurdles in its path.
Andhra Pradesh has also sought Centre's cooperation to rebuild Amaravathi. The central government had provided capital gains exemption for all sales of land and released Rs 1,500 crore of the approved Rs 2,500 crore for Andhra Pradesh's capital.
There is hope that the project will be completed soon. But till that happens, Andhra Pradesh is technically without a capital of its own.
