Amaravati (English: /əməˈrɑːvəθɪ/ ə-muh-rah-vuh-thi, Telugu: Amarāvati) is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The city is named after the nearby historic site of Amaravathi, which was once the capital of the Satavahana dynasty around two millennia ago.

[11] The city is spread over an area of 217.23 km2 (83.87 sq mi),[12] and comprises villages (including some hamlets) from three mandals viz., Mangalagiri, Thullur and Tadepalli.

The government under the leadership of N. Chandrababu Naidu founded Amaravati and declared it as Andhra Pradesh state's new capital city.

[17][18] After fast track completion of interim buildings, government legislature and secretariat started operating from the new facilities at Velagapudi from March 2017.

[30][31][5] As part of the Madras Presidency, it was ruled by Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu, the hereditary zamindar of Chintalapally, who founded modern Amaravathi village, near the ruins of the ancient stupa.

The committee was tasked with evaluating the suitability of various locations based on data analysis, site visits, and stakeholder consultations.

[34] Its duties included assessing the availability of land, water, and natural resources while considering environmental sustainability and the potential for urban growth.

It evaluated transportation options including rail, road and air connectivity between the new capital and other major cities.

[35] The establishment of Amaravati as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh involved a land pooling initiative crucial for its development.

Chief Minister Naidu emphasized that the decision reflects public sentiment, with nearly 50% of representations received by the Sivaramakrishnan Committee favoring the Vijayawada-Guntur region.

[40] On October 22, 2015, following a cabinet meeting where it was unanimously approved, Chief Minister Naidu announced the selection of Amaravathi, an ancient town located on the banks of the Krishna River, as the site for the new capital city.

[41] The construction of the temporary Andhra Pradesh Secretariat at Velagapudi, 16 km from Vijayawada, was completed on the October 3, 2016 with a budget of ₹230 crores.

[43] The Andhra Pradesh High Court has also moved to a new temporary building in Amaravati, inaugurated by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

Advocates have faced challenges due to a lack of necessary facilities in the new building, including poor broadband and library access.

Despite initial difficulties, legal professionals remain optimistic about the future of the new high court and capital city.

[51] Among the innovative features on the drawing board are navigation canals[52] around the city, connecting to an island in the Krishna river.

[53] Criticism that the city would require enormous amounts of energy and resources and would destroy precious natural environments and local livelihoods were raised and alternate plans were proposed.

[56] The entire city construction is planned by self-financing from loans and land selling with the state government's moral support.

[58] The bus rapid transit system (BRTS) in Amaravati to connect with the adjacent Vijayawada and Guntur cities by world-class road network is also part of the CRDA project.

[66][67] The government explored other means of mass transport like ‘monorail’, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and tramways.

A metro rail project is proposed between the cities of Tenali, Guntur, and Vijayawada with 100 km circular corridor.

[71] The state government originally engaged the Singapore-based Ascendas-Singbridge and Sembcorp Development consortium for the city's construction.

[81] Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) operates buses connecting the city with Vijayawada, Guntur, and Tenali.