UK, Andhra Pradesh Sign MoU to Transform Amaravati into Smart City

The United Kingdom and the Andhra Pradesh government have entered into a Government-to-Government (G2G) partnership aimed at supporting Amaravati’s transformation into a world-class smart city while strengthening urban infrastructure across the state’s 123 municipalities and municipal corporations.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Secretariat in Velagapudi between MA&UD Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar and Chaz Walia, Deputy Director for Government Partnerships at the UK Department for Business and Trade. The agreement brings UK technical expertise into Andhra Pradesh’s next phase of urban development.

The partnership will focus on four broad areas: infrastructure planning, sustainable urban development, technology transfer and innovation, and integrated urban mobility.

For Amaravati, the cooperation could provide access to international expertise in project planning, financial feasibility, project execution and programme management. The UK will also support the adoption of sustainable construction practices and modern urban planning approaches as the capital region develops.

Technology is another major component of the partnership. Andhra Pradesh plans to explore tools such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Digital Twins and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to improve the way urban projects are planned, monitored and delivered. Training and knowledge-sharing programmes involving UK institutions and state agencies are also envisaged.

The mobility component is expected to have a wider impact across key urban centres. The partnership will look at connecting public transport systems, metro networks, city bus corridors and airport links, while improving pedestrian infrastructure. Data-driven traffic management could also be used to tackle congestion and improve last-mile connectivity.

While Amaravati remains a key focus, the proposed collaboration extends beyond the capital. Andhra Pradesh is currently implementing urban infrastructure projects worth around ₹40,000 crore across its 123 urban local bodies. These include roads, storm-water drainage, drinking water supply and waste management projects.

The state government intends to bring UK expertise and global practices into these ongoing and upcoming works to improve project quality and delivery efficiency.

The partnership also builds on the UK’s earlier involvement in Amaravati. London-based architecture firm Foster + Partners had designed key administrative buildings planned for the capital, including the Legislative Assembly, High Court and Secretariat Complex.

With the latest G2G agreement, Andhra Pradesh is looking to deepen that relationship as it moves ahead with the next stage of Amaravati’s development and broader urban infrastructure expansion.