Why Amaravati became India's most controversial capital project | Carol Upadhya interview

Why did thousands of Andhra Pradesh farmers voluntarily give up their land for Amaravati? In this episode of Frontline Conversations, social anthropologist Carol Upadhya discusses the rise, fall, and revival of Andhra Pradesh's capital city project, exploring caste politics, land pooling, real estate booms, environmental risks, the Amaravati protests, and the political contest between Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Drawing on more than ten years of fieldwork and her new book, "Urbanizing the Future: A New City Project in Agrarian South India", Upadhya examines why many farmers willingly gave up their land for the Amaravati project. She examines the experiences of farmers, landless labourers, Dalits, women protesters, activists, planners, and policymakers, while looking at larger questions about urbanisation, dispossession, environmental risk, and development in contemporary India. Chapters: 00:00 | Introduction: Carol Upadhya on Amaravati 01:31 | Why Amaravati fascinated researchers 03:55 | Why did farmers give up land? 06:09 | Role of caste and Chandrababu Naidu 08:42 | How farmers were convinced to join Amaravati 10:24 | Resistance, coercion, and environmental concerns 14:54 | Landless labourers, Dalits, and unequal outcomes 17:41 | What happens to villages inside a planned city? 19:52 | Flood risks and ecological concerns 23:14 | Real estate speculation and land boom 26:03 | World Bank, Singapore, and financing Andhra 30:35 | Jagan Mohan Reddy's three-capital proposal 33:59 | Save Amaravati movement 35:52 | Women's role in Amaravati protests 38:34 | Amaravati today: Progress and challenges 42:44 | Is Amaravati India's urban future or a warning? Perfect for: • Viewers interested in Andhra Pradesh politics and Amaravati • Students of urbanisation, development studies, and public policy • Audiences following Chandrababu Naidu and Andhra's capital debate • Researchers interested in land acquisition, caste, and agrarian change • Anyone seeking to understand the future of Indian cities and planned urban development Credits: Host: Ayesha Minhaz Editing: Razal Pareed Creative Assistance: Mridula Vijayarangakumar Camera and Production: Kavya Pradeep M If you found this discussion insightful, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to Frontline for more in-depth conversations. Subscribe to Frontline: Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online... Follow us on: Facebook - / frontlineindia Twitter - / frontline_india Instagram - / frontline.magazine LinkedIn - / frontline-magazine-b12921295