APCRDA Approves Vijayawada-Amaravati Ropeway (PPP) and Krishna River Bridge Study — 64th Authority Meeting, 4 August 2026

What exactly was decided

The APCRDA Authority's 64th meeting cleared two connectivity-and-tourism proposals for the capital region alongside a bundle of other infrastructure items. To boost tourism and provide seamless transport, the authority approved an iconic ropeway project under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The proposed ropeway will connect Vijayawada Railway Station, Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS), Indrakeeladri Sri Kanaka Durga Temple, Punnami Ghat, Bhavani Island and the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Amaravati.

On the second item, the authority also approved appointing a consultant to study the number of bridges required across the Krishna river to meet future passenger and freight transport needs and examine the feasibility of constructing a technologically advanced iconic bridge. This is a feasibility/study-stage decision, not a construction approval. The authority also decided to appoint a consultant to assess future bridge requirements across the Krishna River to support the proposed Amaravati-Vijayawada-Guntur mega city, projected to have a population of one crore.

Who decided and when

Briefing reporters after the 64th CRDA Authority meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana said the authority had cleared several proposals aimed at accelerating the development of the Greenfield capital city of Amaravati. An official release quoting Narayana, issued late on Tuesday, said the CRDA had approved several key development works to accelerate the reconstruction of Amaravati, including the quantum facility project, digital infrastructure, tourism initiatives and measures to strengthen connectivity.

Package of other approvals cleared at the same meeting

• Quantum Valley towers / L&T contract: The authority approved awarding the contract to L&T for construction of the two 18-storey Quantum Valley towers, at a cost of Rs 1,205 crore (reported elsewhere as Rs 1,280 crore for the wider Quantum Facility Project).
• Digital infrastructure: The authority approved inviting tenders for setting up a 20 MW data centre and issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for establishing 5G towers at 20 locations in Amaravati to strengthen the city's digital infrastructure.
• HappyNest housing relief: The authority revived the HappyNest Housing Project and decided to exempt it from Andhra Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (APRERA) renewal fees so that homebuyers would not face additional financial burden due to delays.
• Land pooling / compensation: The authority endorsed the unanimous resolution passed by residents of Mothadaka village in Guntur district to contribute 2,344 acres under the Land Pooling Scheme. The minister said the authority approved the release of Rs 122 crore to the Endowments Department as compensation in accordance with Supreme Court directions, for bringing 244.39 acres of inam lands under land pooling.
• Connectivity infrastructure: The authority also approved land acquisition for the Inner Ring Road and a new railway line to improve connectivity to the capital.
• Cultural design mandate: Narayana said the authority further decided to constitute an expert committee to ensure that government buildings and projects in Amaravati reflect Telugu culture, arts and traditions, similar to the architectural approach adopted for the Bhogapuram International Airport.

Practical effect for residents and investors

These are Authority-level clearances — they authorise tendering, consultant studies or contract awards, not completed construction. The ropeway approval moves the project to the PPP-structuring and tendering stage; the Krishna bridge item is at consultant-appointment stage to determine how many bridges are needed and whether an iconic structure is feasible, tied to planning for a projected Amaravati-Vijayawada-Guntur conurbation. The authority decided to appoint a consultant to assess future bridge requirements across the Krishna River to support the proposed Amaravati-Vijayawada-Guntur mega city, projected to have a population of one crore. No ropeway fares, construction timeline, project cost, or bridge location have been disclosed in the official briefing as of this record.

For locals near the proposed ropeway alignment (Vijayawada side stations and the Amaravati temple end) and for landowners/investors tracking capital-region infrastructure spend, the decision signals continued state priority on tourism-linked connectivity between Vijayawada and the new capital, alongside the larger Quantum Valley and digital-infrastructure push cleared at the same sitting.