Andhra Pradesh has entered into a new partnership with the United Kingdom to strengthen urban infrastructure, introduce advanced technologies and support the development of Amaravati as a modern, smart and liveable capital city. The cooperation is also expected to benefit urban development initiatives across the state’s 123 municipalities and municipal corporations.
A Government-to-Government Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Secretariat in Velagapudi between Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Andhra Pradesh, and Chaz Walia, Deputy Director for Government Partnerships at the UK Department for Business and Trade. The agreement was signed in the presence of Andhra Pradesh MA&UD Minister P Narayana and officials from both sides.
The partnership will focus on infrastructure planning, sustainable urban development, technology and innovation, and integrated urban mobility. Under the arrangement, UK expertise will be utilised for long-term project planning, project prioritisation, financial feasibility assessments and preparation of investment-ready proposals. The collaboration is also expected to bring international practices in urban design, project execution and programme management into Andhra Pradesh’s ongoing development programme.
Technology adoption will be an important component of the partnership. Andhra Pradesh plans to explore tools such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Digital Twins and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), along with advanced construction technologies. Knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives involving UK institutions and local agencies are expected to help strengthen the technical capabilities of engineers, planners and other urban professionals.
Urban mobility is another key area of cooperation. The partnership will look at better integration of public transport, metro networks, bus corridors, airport connectivity and pedestrian infrastructure. Data-driven traffic management systems are expected to support smoother movement, reduce congestion and help lower carbon emissions in urban areas.
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While Amaravati remains a major focus, the state intends to extend the benefits of the collaboration to its wider urban network. Andhra Pradesh is currently implementing and planning civic infrastructure projects worth around ₹40,000 crore across its urban local bodies. These projects include roads, storm-water drainage, drinking water systems and solid and liquid waste management facilities.
The latest agreement is expected to add international technical expertise and modern urban practices to these initiatives, supporting Andhra Pradesh’s broader ambition of building better-connected, technology-enabled and sustainable cities.
