What is the New Capital of Andhra Pradesh?

Amaravati is officially the new capital of Andhra Pradesh as of 7th April 2026. Draupadi Murmu, the President of India, signed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2026, on 7th April 2026. It was initially passed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on 1st and 2nd April 2026. This landmark legislation officially designates Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of the state, with retrospective effect from June 2, 2024.

New Capital of Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati is a greenfield city located on the banks of the Krishna River. A greenfield city is an urban development built completely from scratch on previously undeveloped land.

While Amaravati was originally selected by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2015, its legal status remained ambiguous under central law. This changed entirely in April 2026. Parliament passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2026, which amended Section 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. 

The new law explicitly inserts the phrase, "and Amaravati shall be the new capital." It confirms Amaravati is the singular seat of power, encompassing all areas notified under the AP Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014. 

How Did Amaravati Become the Sole Capital?

The journey to establish the new capital of Andhra Pradesh was long and politically complex. The process unfolded in four distinct phases:

1. The original Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 split the state, creating Telangana. It designated Hyderabad as the joint capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a maximum period of 10 years, till June 2024.

2. N Chandrababu Naidu chose Amaravati as the new capital. Farmers contributed over 33,000 acres of land through a massive land-pooling scheme.

3. On June 2, 2024, the 10-year transition window closed. Hyderabad became the exclusive capital of Telangana, forcing Andhra Pradesh to decide the new capital.

4. To prevent future governments from altering the capital's location, the state requested central intervention. On 1st April 2026, Parliament passed the amendment bill, giving Amaravati retrospective legal recognition starting from June 2, 2024.

Why Was the Three Capital Model Scrapped?

Between 2019 and 2024, the previous state government proposed a decentralised three capital model. The three capital system proposed wanted Visakhapatnam to be the executive capital, Amaravati to be the legislative capital, and Kurnool to be the judicial capital.

However, this model was completely scrapped for several important reasons. First, it created severe administrative bottlenecks. Splitting government functions across cities hundreds of kilometers apart is highly inefficient. Second, it betrayed the trust of the Amaravati farmers who had willingly pooled their agricultural land for the city's development.

Finally, the lack of a single, stable new capital of Andhra Pradesh severely damaged investor confidence. The 2026 Amendment Act deliberately overrides the three capital model, ensuring policy stability and preventing future leaders from arbitrarily shifting the capital.

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