If the reports from the camp of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu are to be believed, the new capital in Tullur area of Guntur district is unlikely to materialize before 2019.

According to these reports, officials of the revenue department are learnt to have told Naidu that it would be extremely difficult to procure land for the capital in the name of land pooling.

Though a section of farmers have agreed to give their land, there has been resistance from majority of farmers in the capital region for the simple reason that the land prices have gone up steeply. So, they find it easy to sell a piece of land for a hefty amount and buy some properties in Hyderabad.

Moreover, many farmers are apprehensive that the Naidu government might not give them the promised residential or commercial space on the capital is built.

“Going by this trend, we may not be able to get even one fourth of the land for the capital. The best way is to start construction of capital infrastructure in whatever land that is available and procured so far. Once the capital is formed, there will be natural expansion over a period of time,” officials are learnt to have told the Chief Minister.