Telangana Proposes Tougher Civic Penalties Under Draft CURE Bill 2026
The Telangana government has introduced the draft Core Urban Region (CURE) Bill, 2026, which proposes stricter civic laws and heavier penalties to transform Hyderabad into a cleaner and better-managed metropolis. The draft bill is currently open for public suggestions, though urban planners and experts have expressed skepticism regarding its enforcement due to staffing shortages and weak implementation history.
Under the proposed legislation, the government aims to crack down on single-use plastic violations. First-time offenders could face a ₹50,000 penalty, while repeat violations could attract fines of up to ₹3 lakh. Individuals using banned plastic products may be fined up to ₹1,000. Currently, authorities have collected only about ₹35 lakh in penalties over the past four years despite existing restrictions.
The draft bill also targets illegal constructions by proposing a 300% higher property tax on unauthorized buildings. For example, a property owner paying ₹10,000 annually would see their tax rise to ₹40,000 if the building is found to be unauthorized. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner RV Karnan stated that the objective of these steep penalties is to deter illegal constructions, adding that a dedicated tribunal will be established to handle such cases.
Enforcement remains a key concern for experts. In 2025, before the bifurcation of the 650 square kilometer GHMC, around 2,000 illegal structures were identified, mostly in Hyderabad’s western corridor. More recently, the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation detected 784 illegal constructions within a single year, but only about 70 of those were demolished or sealed.
To address environmental challenges, the draft bill proposes a dedicated Climate Action Cell to prepare resilience plans and identify flood-prone areas. However, B. Venkateswara Rao, a retired professor from the Centre for Water Resources at JNTUH, suggested the government should first strictly implement the WALTA Act, 2002, which mandates recharge pits before providing water connections.
Disaster management expert KM Lakshmana Rao emphasized that policies must be backed by a transparent monitoring system to ensure accountability at every level. Additionally, urban planners have noted that the civic workforce has not kept pace with the city's threefold expansion, highlighting the need for active involvement of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) at the ward level.
