Amaravati to be best city of century: Experts

Andhra Pradesh capital city Amaravati will be designed as best city in the century reflecting Telugu culture and heritage, observed experts committee on Amaravati  designing headed by Dr Parakala Prabhakar.

A two-day meeting of the experts committee started in Vijayawada on Wednesday. The committee will prepare designs of the capital city reflecting Telugu culture and history and submit the designs to master architect Norman Foster Company. Dr Prabhakar appealed to the experts to offer suggestions and advices keeping in view the importance of nine cities focusing on nine specialties. He said every one in the State prefer reflection of Telugu culture and heritage in designs of Amaravati. He said it is a rare opportunity to design the entire city reflecting Telangana culture.

Tirupati Sri Venkateswara museum director V Ranganayakulu said the government offices should reflect the ancient `manduva logili’ structures for free flow of air and Sunlight. The buildings should be named with historical names. Some of the members suggested that the Assembly building should reflect Chandragiri fort. They said the Undavalli caves should be given a face-lift.

Sri Venkateswara University retired professor Kirankant Chowdary said the structures in the capital should reflect ancient kingdoms, including those of Satavahanas, Ikshvakus, Salankayanas and Buddhists. Writer Sai Papineni said the designers should adopt the technology of Los Angeles structures to bring down temperature. A retired archaeological official KV Rao said the buildings should reflect the Buddhism traces in Amaravati region.

Cine architect Anand Sai said the entire Amaravathi city should be in one colour for more attraction. Director of Cultural Affairs Department Vijaybhaskar said the structures should reflect the history of Kalinga kingdom. He said Kalinga kingdom spread over Ganga to Godavari rivers. But the history confined it to just three districts at present.

Historian Sivanagi Reddy said the structures in Amaravati should reflect the culture of all regions of the State. Amaravati heritage city advisor Galla Amareswar said the suggestions of experts should be developed into designs in 3D system and should be presented to Norman Foster. CRDA officials said 1800 km length of roads would be developed in the city. After conclusion of the meeting, the experts committee members inspected the Amaravati capital region. (NSS)