Hyderabad will cease to be common capital

HYDERABAD : Ten years to the day when Telangana and Andhra Pradesh became two separate states, Hyderabad will no longer be the common capital for both states.

As per the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Hyderabad technically served as common capital for both the states for 10 years from June 2, 2014.

In 1956, after Andhra and Telangana regions were united and Andhra Pradesh came into being, Hyderabad was declared the capital of undivided Andhra Pradesh, retaining that position until June 2, 2014.

Section 5 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, says: “From the appointed day, that is June 2, 2014, Hyderabad shall be the common capital for the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for such period not exceeding ten years.” The section also states that after the expiry of the said period, Hyderabad shall be the capital of Telangana and there shall be a new capital for Andhra Pradesh.

As per the provision, the Andhra Pradesh government functioned from Telangana up to 2015. In 2015, the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu declared Amaravati as the capital of the residuary state. Soon after, most of the offices of the Andhra Pradesh government, including the Secretariat, shifted to Amaravati.

As of now, the Andhra Pradesh government is using only three buildings in Hyderabad — the Lake View guesthouse, the police building in Lakdikapul and Hermitage Building at Adarshnagar are in possession of AP government. Recently, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy instructed officials to take over the buildings allotted to Andhra Pradesh.

Sources said that the Andhra Pradesh government has urged the Telangana government to give those buildings for rent or lease. However, the Telangana government has not made any decision in this regard due to the election code being in place, the sources added.

Meanwhile, Telangana state government on Thursday said it will be celebrating the 10th state formation day on a grand scale on June 2 and that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi would be present at the event. The state government has also invited a host of political leaders, eminent personalities and others at the foundation day celebrations.

As of now, the Andhra Pradesh government is using only three buildings in Hyderabad — the Lake View guesthouse, the police building in Lakdikapul and Hermitage Building at Adarshnagar are in possession of AP government. Recently, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy instructed officials to take over the buildings allotted to Andhra Pradesh. Sources said that the Andhra Pradesh government has urged the Telangana government to give those buildings for rent.