Jagan Slams Amaravati Push, Talks of ‘MAVIGUN’ Capital Corridor
He proposed linking Machilipatnam (MA), Vijayawada (VI), and Guntur (GUN) as the capital corridor — collectively called MAVIGUN.
Vijayawada: Former chief minister and YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has joined the issue over AP’s capital, opening a confrontation with the ruling Telugu Desam-led alliance government. The opposition party leader has revived his “MAVIGUN” growth corridor, vehemently criticising Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for ignoring what he termed a “practical and cost-effective” alternative for the state capital.
He proposed linking Machilipatnam (MA), Vijayawada (VI), and Guntur (GUN) as the capital corridor — collectively called MAVIGUN. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s comments on MAVIGUN have gone viral on social media, drawing fresh attention to his earlier “Plan-B” for decentralised development.
He pointed out that a 110-km developed national highway already connects Machilipatnam to Vijayawada and further to Guntur, with each stretch roughly 40 km apart. “Declaring areas along both sides of this corridor as the capital region will transform it into a powerful growth engine,” he maintained. “We suggest constructing the required buildings in this corridor, instead of indulging in scams by insisting on Amaravati. MAVIGUN will save nearly ₹1.9 lakh crore, which can be used for developmental purposes,” he pointed out.
The YSRC president projected that just 10 per cent of the proposed Amaravati expenditure on this corridor will yield better outcomes. Highlighting the demographic advantage, he explained that Vijayawada and its surrounding areas already house nearly 20 lakh people, while Guntur has around 10 lakh and Machilipatnam about 3–4 lakh. “Once implemented, this Plan-B of YSRC will evolve into a major metropolitan hub,” he asserted. Jagan Mohan Reddy accused Chandrababu Naidu of pursuing an “impractical” plan of building a capital across one lakh acres with an estimated expenditure of ₹2 lakh crore on basic infrastructure alone.
The former CM said by harping on Amaravati as the sole capital, the Telugu Desam-led government is prioritising its “benami land interests” over welfare and balanced development of Andhra Pradesh. He warned that this move could push the state into a debt trap and derail its growth trajectory.
