HYDERABAD: In a move that is likely to propel Hyderabad into the big league and turn it into one of the biggest city conglomerates in the country, the state govt is planning to create a new humongous Hyderabad Greater City Corporation.
The move will involve merger of all the municipal corporations and municipalities in Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) limits and also Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Govt says the aim is to not only spur all-round growth but also ensure better civic infra and planning in the city, which is expanding horizontally and vertically.
While the GHMC urban agglomeration sprawls across 625 square kilometres, HMDA has an area of 7,300 sq km under its purview. Once the new greater city corporation is formed, Hyderabad’s geographical spread will be one of the largest and biggest in the country, urban experts said.
CM Revanth Reddy has reportedly directed MAUD to work on this proposal. He also asked senior officials to study various cities’ models, especially Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and submit proposals to the govt soon.
Official sources said the merger plan will roll out only after term of civic bodies ends as govt does not want legal hurdles. Special officers will be appointed after the term gets over, a source said. Elections to GHMC and other civic bodies are due next year.
Sources said the govt is convinced that with seven municipal corporations and 30 municipalities and GHMC falling in HMDA limits, uniformity in development is lacking. “The core city area has all major infra facilities and does not require more funds. But surrounding areas require need urgent funds for beefing up civic infra,” an official said. The CM is also believed to have asked the officials to prepare plans to expand HMDA till ORR and RRR.
“Not just greater city corporation, HMDA limits can have four corporations – north, south, east and west corporations,” a source said. Revanth is believed to have stressed at a recent meeting that allocation of funds and distribution of population in GHMC and surrounding civic bodies was disproportionate, which needed to be addressed immediately.
Municipal corporations in HMDA limits are Boduppal, Peerzadiguda, Jawaharnagar, Bandlaguda Jagir, Badangpet, Meerpet and Nizampet. There are 30 municipalities like Manikonda, Narsingi, Tellapur, which form part of Greater Hyderabad area.
