HYDERABAD: The state government has promulgated an ordinance to expand the urban area up to ORR and beyond by merging as many as 51 gram panchayats with nearby 13 municipalities of Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts which are surrounded by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits and amended the relevant provisions. The ordinance is called Telangana Municipalities (Amendment) Ordinance No 3 of 2024.
The state government has proposed a ‘unified single urban local body’ by extending the GHMC jurisdiction to ORR. The new entity, likely to be named ‘Hyderabad Greater City Corporation’ or ‘Maha Hyderabad’ will include several municipal corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats.
The government has envisioned to come up with a suitable administrative structure for the entire region within ORR/overlapping ORR/areas nearer to outside ORR which are having similar urban growth perspectives. The objective is to have a suitable administrative structure in commensuration with the rapid urban growth that has taken place here. A study was done through the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad to suggest suitable administrative structure and urban governance pattern. Further, a committee of district officers headed by district collectors of Rangareddy, Sangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri was constituted to examine and report on the spatial integration of local bodies.
Both the study by ASCI and the report from Director of Municipal Administration based on the recommendations of the district officers committee have suggested merger of 45 gram panchayats, which are within or overlapping/nearer to ORR with the nearby municipalities. Whereas, the council of ministers has decided to constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee to study and recommend on the issue.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee met on August 22 with public representatives and other stakeholders. During the consultation process, it was considered that six more gram panchayats which are clearly outside ORR, but with the similar demographic and urban development features for integration with the proposed urban administrative structure. The Cabinet Sub-Committee has recommended merger of 51 gram panchayats with nearby municipalities. Accordingly, it has been decided to amend the relevant provision of the Act. It has been decided to give effect to the above decision immediately.
