The decision taken by Andhra Pradesh government to name the proposed new capital of the State as 'Amaravathi' seems to have got good feedback even before it is officially announced.
According to sources, the Chandrababu Naidu government has finalized the name Amaravathi to the new capital after going through a few other names.
Initially, there was a talk that the capital would be named as NTR Nagar, after former Chief Minister N T Rama Rao (on the lines of Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat named after Mahatma Gandhi), but there are several other colonies in the State with that name.
Even in Hyderabad, there are at least two or three NTR Nagars, which are basically slums. Moreover, such names would trigger widespread political controversies and the Opposition parties would have raised a lot of hue and cry.
So, in the given circumstances, Amaravathi sounds better for the capital. This would not only give a sense of belonging to the locals, but also give no scope for the opposition to make a political issue.
Amaravathi was once the capital of Satavahanas and hence, it has historical significance. The present Amaravathi town falls within the new capital region and hence, it would be hailed by all sections of people, say analysts.
Photo credit: The Hindu
