Telangana Proposes Core Urban Region Bill to Replace 70-Year-Old GHMC Act

The Telangana state government has proposed 'The Core Urban Region (Integrated Governance) Bill, 2026' to replace the decades-old Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act, 1955, and has invited public feedback on the draft legislation. Announced on July 5, 2026, the public consultation process will remain open until July 24, 2026. Citizens can submit their suggestions online or deliver written representations directly to the Special Chief Secretary of the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department at the Secretariat in Hyderabad.

According to state officials, the GHMC Act, which was enacted over seven decades ago, contains numerous provisions that have become obsolete. These outdated regulations no longer reflect the administrative and infrastructural needs of Hyderabad's rapidly growing metropolitan core urban region. The proposed Bill seeks to repeal these old provisions and introduce a modern legal framework to govern the city.

The new legislation aims to facilitate integrated governance of the core urban region through a "whole-of-government" approach. State officials stated that this framework will enable seamless coordination across various government departments and public agencies.

In addition to administrative restructuring, the Bill places a strong emphasis on citizen welfare and environmental sustainability. It outlines measures to improve the ease of living for residents through simplified, citizen-centric service delivery. The draft legislation also embeds sustainability and climate responsibility into urban governance, with a long-term vision towards achieving net-zero goals.

Officials further noted that the Bill is designed to improve public health systems and health outcomes across the urban region. It also seeks to boost the ease of doing business by adopting national and global best practices in urban administration.

To ensure public participation, the government has placed the draft Bill in the public domain. The document has been published on the websites of the three Municipal Corporations in the region.

Citizens who wish to share their feedback can submit their suggestions online through the designated link on the GHMC website. Those preferring to submit physical documents can send their written representations to the MAUD Department at the Secretariat. All feedback mechanisms will close on July 24, 2026.