People flock In thousands to back capital revival
Velagapudi:A sea of people gathered at Velagapudi on Friday to witness the grand relaunch of Amaravati capital city development works, under the banner Amaravati Punah Prarambham, addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The venue was packed to capacity, with every inch occupied as thousands of people from across Andhra Pradesh, including villagers from the Amaravati Capital Region, arrived hours before the start of the event. Many waved miniature national flags and voiced their support for the Prime Minister in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
In a strong display of unity and anticipation, farmers who had given up their lands for the capital wore green scarves and carried flags of the Telugu Desam, BJP, and Jana Sena, symbolising their renewed hope for the capital's revival. Women and land-pooling farmers turned up in large numbers, creating a festive and emotional atmosphere. As the venue exceeded capacity, the police were forced to restrict further entry.
Farmers like D. Subba Rao and Ch. Basavaiah expressed joy and relief at the restart of the long-stalled project. "We gave our fertile lands back in 2015 to see a great capital rise here. But for five years, our dreams were shattered. Now we’re hopeful the Chief Minister will fast-track the works," they said. The works are expected to be completed within the next three years.
The nearly completed Vijayawada west bypass road, which runs through Amaravati, was opened temporarily to facilitate the movement of the public. All eleven routes leading to Velagapudi were clogged with buses, cars, and other vehicles throughout the day.
The state government declared the relaunch an official programme and extended open invitations to people across all districts. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had instructed district administrations to mobilise the public and ensure their comfort. Municipal administration minister P. Narayana said District Collectors were tasked with organising transport and hospitality for those attending.
West Godavari Collector C. Naga Rani flagged off 150 buses carrying over 7,500 people from Bhimavaram alone. The district administration provided food, bottled water, ORS packets, fruits, and cakes for the passengers. Each bus was assigned a coordinator, a woman police officer, and an ANM to ensure safety and comfort throughout the journey.
People left in high spirits, chanting “Jai Amaravati” and “Jai Jai Amaravati” as they departed, expressing their excitement to be part of the capital’s relaunch. Similar mobilisation efforts were carried out by ministers and public representatives in other districts.
Meanwhile, the heavy vehicular movement led to traffic diversions on key highways including Vijayawada–Hyderabad and Vijayawada–Visakhapatnam. Commuters faced long detours. A fire official said they were delayed in responding to a mishap at Venkatapalem due to the traffic congestion, forcing them to take a longer route to reach the spot.
Interestingly, many who came to Amaravati also made spiritual visits to nearby temples such as the Kanaka Durga temple, the Amaralingeswara shrine, and the Panakala Lakshmi Narasimha temple. Government agencies had arranged free transport and food for such devotees, adding a devotional flavour to the otherwise political and developmental event.
