In the heart of the Krishna delta, where lush green paddy fields have long shaped the landscape and livelihoods of rural Andhra Pradesh, a new chapter is unfolding—one laden with both hope and unease. Traditionally, these fields represented sustenance, culture, and community. But now, old wounds are being reopened, and uncertainty is once again taking root. On November 28, 2025, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his TDP-led NDA Cabinet moved decisively to launch “Phase 2 of land pooling” for Amaravati, aiming to gather another 30,000 to 45,000 acres from 11 villages. Their ambition is nothing less than grand: to actualize a new capital city that Chandrababu Naidu deems “Hyderabad-scale,” a vision brimming with promises—developed urban plots for contributors, annual annuities, and the prospect of a radiant, prosperous future.
Phase-1 Farmers Remain in Limbo
Yet, for the 29,000 farmers who surrendered 34,000 acres back in 2015, these assurances ring uncomfortably familiar. Many are still waiting for the urban plots they were promised, having received only sporadic annuity payments, often not exceeding ₹30,000 per year if they received them at all. “We put our trust in the TDP’s vision, and now they want even more land from us, while we remain in limbo,” say leaders from the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi, voicing a growing sense of betrayal and fatigue among the farming community.
Back in 2015, Andhra’s land pooling scheme was hailed as both bold and generous, a win-win innovation in the fraught world of land acquisition. Farmers pooled their land voluntarily, enticed by the promise of receiving 30% back as developed plots in the new urban landscape—plots that were said to be worth two or three times more than their original agricultural value. The government pledged annual payments of ₹50,000 for ten years and promised skill development support to help families transition. The process was meant to avoid forced acquisitions and lengthy legal battles; remarkably, 34,000 acres were pooled with little resistance. For a few years, optimism ran high: nearly ₹2,000 crore disbursed in annuities by 2019, master-plans for expansive parks, advanced sewage systems, and low-rise residential buildings. Even international institutions like the World Bank and ADB supported the plan with $1.6 billion in funding, signalling global confidence.
High-End Ambitions of Chandrababu
Now, Chandrababu Naidu’s ambitions have grown even larger. The new phase includes proposals for an international airport sprawled across 5,000 acres, the development of smart industrial clusters, a sports city, the creation of five lakh new jobs, and the attraction of ₹1 lakh crore in investment. He cites Hyderabad’s transformation as a precedent—where land values skyrocketed from ₹1 lakh to ₹170 crore per acre, fueling an IT-driven economic boom that put the city on the map.
When YSRCP Scrapped Amaravathi…
However, beneath the surface, significant cracks are showing. When the YSRCP took power in 2019, they reversed course by scrapping Amaravati as the sole capital, freezing projects worth ₹50,000 crore, and leaving thousands of farmers facing half-built structures and mounting unpaid dues. Environmentalists have sounded alarms about the impact of converting another 50,000 acres of black cotton soil—warning of depleted groundwater, increased temperatures, and long-term ecological harm. The promise of maintaining 33% green cover appears increasingly hollow as urban expansion continues unchecked. Ground surveys in villages such as Harischandrapuram and Tadikonda reveal deep hesitancy among farmers—around 40% are wary, citing "one-sided" agreements that favour the state over their interests. Only a quarter of the pooled land is earmarked for public projects, and the distribution of developed plots is mired in delays that stretch for years. Political opposition has intensified, with CPI(M) and YSRCP labeling the process as “forcible acquisition in disguise.” They are now demanding a complete halt to Phase 2 and a thorough audit of Phase 1’s outcomes.
World-Class City Narrative
The TDP’s renewed push for Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh’s “single capital” after the 2024 elections is a direct repudiation of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s three-capitals strategy—a high-stakes political gamble. Naidu is banking on rekindling farmer nostalgia and pride, insisting that villages involved in Phase 1 now support expansion, and is actively seeking central government recognition and tax breaks to attract investment. Allies like Jana Sena amplify the “world-class city” narrative, portraying the TDP as pro-development and casting YSRCP as anti-farmer, stoking partisan fervour. The TDP touts new figures: infrastructure tenders worth ₹10,000 crore have been triggered thanks to Phase 1 land pooling, and the CRDA claims to have resolved 70% of the 5,000 farmer grievances since July 2025.
Deepening Scares of Mistrust
Despite these assurances, resistance is mounting. YSRCP accuses Chandrababu Naidu of repeating the errors of the past, and farmers are once again taking to the streets, echoing the massive 1,631-day protest that began in 2019. Critics argue that Phase 2 will primarily benefit elites and foreign investors—Singapore’s Norman Foster famously drafted Amaravati’s original blueprints—while local farmers are left behind, bearing the brunt of broken promises. Recent surveys indicate that 60% of farmers in the targeted villages fear further environmental degradation and prolonged delays in receiving compensation or developed plots. Legal battles are intensifying; the High Court has already ruled against the allocation of plots to non-locals in 2023, setting a precedent that complicates future phases. The economic strain on rural families is palpable. While Chandrababu Naidu touts the potential for soaring land values, many farmers from Phase 1 report that their incomes have actually dropped by 25%, and migration from Guntur’s villages has increased by 15% as livelihoods falter.
Questions Remains Unanswered!
Amaravati’s saga is, in many ways, emblematic of Andhra’s larger struggle—a grand vision of urban transformation colliding with the scepticism and anxieties of its rural backbone. The potential is enormous: the prospect of jobs, transformative investment, and even international recognition for the region.
Yet, without ironclad safeguards—timely and transparent delivery of promised plots, genuine public accountability, and robust climate adaptation measures—Phase 2 risks deepening the scars of mistrust and displacement. As Chandrababu Naidu asks the state’s farmers to once more place their faith in the Amaravati dream, their central question remains unanswered: Will this bold project finally deliver on its promises, or will it join the long list of India’s broken urban visions? In this climate of political contestation and public disappointment, the future of Andhra’s capital—and the fate of its farmers—continue to hang in the balance, awaiting resolution and redemption.
