Andhra’s new capital: Cash counting machines to cars, lifestyle takes big leap in Guntur.

Swanky cars on the narrow, dusty bylanes, the lingering fragrance of high-end perfume in the air and the rush of the flashy and the flamboyant all day – Tullur, the nondescript village in Guntur district, is relishing its brush with riches.

The cow dung pasted walls are still there as are the overflowing drains, but these would soon be past. The Andhra government’s decision to locate its new capital around this village, also a mandal headquarters, has brought a sudden change in the economy of the area, and a corresponding shift in lifestyle.

The rich and the influential have started descending on Tullur and villages around it, offering wads of currency to the locals in exchange for huge tracts of land. An acre in Tullur and surrounding villages like Pedaparimi that used to cost around Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh depending on whether it's dry land or wet land is now costing a bomb. The moment Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu came up with map of the State Capital Region, the prices skyrocketed. The base price soared by 10 times from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh an acre and the highest price offered to a piece of land was Rs 1.60 crore an acre at Rayapudi on the banks of the Krishna.

And it is not only land owners who are making a killing. Everyone, from rural medical practitioners, to auto-rickshaw drivers, to daily wage-earners who used to go to Guntur every day to eke out a living, has turned a real estate broker, negotiating deals with land sharks on behalf of the farmers. An auto-rickshaw driver made Rs 5 lakh in just one transaction on a single day. Real estate businessmen and brokers are having a field day.

The most interesting part is that about five currency counting machines were brought to the village and the lenders are charging Rs 1,000 for counting cash of Rs 1 crore. Due to the huge difference between the registration value and the actual price of the land, most transactions take place in cash.

Singapore team undertakes aerial survey for AP capital region.

The visiting Singapore team which made an aerial survey of Krishna and Guntur districts will submit a temporary design plan by evening, said Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P. Narayana.

Mr Narayana who met the team in the forenoon, told media persons that the team was collecting various details about the capital region including that of cyclones, earthquakes and cultivation of crops.

The Singapore team has been talking to officials of various departments here.

Apart from collectors of Krishna and Guntur districts, they were also seeking details related to capital region from officers of various departments in the region, he said.

Singapore doing this for 'Free Of Cost'.

The delegates of Singapore, who are on a visit to AP, has apparently asked for the 500 years background of the AP Capital region for the better understanding of geographical, climatic conditions besides its rich culture and heritage. Singapore which categorically agreed to be the brain behind new capital of AP is doing it for "free of cost", corroborated AP Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana.

Narayana said, "Singapore has agreed to provide master plan for the new capital of AP. They're not charging single penny for their services and doing it for free of cost. They said they're doing this for their relationship with CM Chandrababu Naidu." He said that Singapore officials also shown interest to train AP government authorities. "We're going to select 33 officials from AP to send them to Singapore for the special training. The training will be held from Jan 19 to Jan 23," added Mr Narayana.

Earlier in the day, the Singapore team has met various departments heads of AP. Later in the day, it has visited the city of Hyderabad from 2 PM to 5 PM. The blue-print of Singapore team's proposal for the new capital will be out within 6 weeks.

Thullur Mandal Villages List.

1

Abbarajupalem

Thullur

2

Ainavolu

Thullur

3

Ananthavaram

Thullur

4

Borupalem

Thullur

5

Dondapadu

Thullur

6

Harischandrapuram

Thullur

7

Lingayapalem

Thullur

8

Malkapuram

Thullur

9

Mandadam

Thullur

10

Nekkallu

Thullur

11

Nelapadu

Thullur

12

Pedaparimi

Thullur

13

Pitchikalapalem

Thullur

14

Rayapudi

Thullur

15

Sakhamur

Thullur

16

Thullur

Thullur

17

Uddandarayunipalem

Thullur

18

Vaddamanu

Thullur

19

Velagapudi

Thullur

20

Venkatapalem

Thullur

Capital Region Plan for the approximately 7,325 sq km area.

Singapore will collaborate with AP in drawing up a Capital Region Plan for the approximately 7,325 sq km area within the Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalgiri boundary.

A high-level committee, comprising three officials from AP government and three from Singapore would be set up in a day or two to oversee the master plan preparation process on a daily basis, Narayana said.

6-member Panel to Monitor AP Capital

A day after the governments of Singapore and Andhra Pradesh signed an MoU for designing a master plan for building the state’s new capital near Vijayawada, Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana announced that a six-member working committee consisting of three members from AP Government and three from Singapore would be constituted to monitor the progress of the master plan.

A 14-member Singapore designing team had a three-and-a-half-hour discussion with senior officials of different departments regarding the master plan for the new capital on Tuesday at the Secretariat. The team was supposed to conduct an aerial survey of the capital region --Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri -- but it was cancelled as the aircraft developed a technical snag. Later, speaking to reporters at the Secretariat here, Narayana said the six-member working committee would monitor the progress on a day-to-day basis.

AP capital: Singapore co to submit ‘total vision’ report.

The International Enterprise Singapore, which has signed an MoU with Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh for designing the master plan of state’s new capital around Vijayawada, will submit its “total vision” report within six weeks.

A 14-member team of officials from Singapore would conduct an aerial survey of the proposed capital region and hold interaction with officials of various departments over the next two days, Municipal Administration P Narayana told reporters here after a meeting of the Capital Advisory Committee with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday. He said that “total design” of the proposed capital region will be ready in six months.

Andhra Pradesh and Singapore governments signed an MoU last night in the presence of Naidu and Singapore’s second minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran, to cooperate in the master-planning, development and construction of the new capital as a modern, vibrant, sustainable and smart capital city.