Hyderabad has a new law to manage the needs of its growing population. The Core Urban Region (Integrated Governance) Act, 2026 or CURE Act, came into force on October 2, replacing the nearly 70-year-old Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act.
The city's three municipal corporations will continue to look after local civic services. However, the new law fundamentally changes how they operate by establishing a unified framework to manage the wider city, bringing a common platform for inter-agency coordination, modern digitised citizen services, comprehensive structural safety protocols, and a completely overhauled taxation mechanism.
Here we closely look at what will change under the new law, and what will it mean for the nearly 1.30 crore people living in Hyderabad.
Why was the CURE Act introduced?
When the GHMC Act was passed nearly 70 years ago, Hyderabad had a population of around 15 lakh. Since then, the city and its surrounding areas have grown rapidly, bringing new challenges that the old law was not designed to handle. These include flooding, traffic jams, air pollution, water shortages, encroachments on lakes and drains, rising heat and safety risks in high-rise buildings.
Officials say more than 100 provisions of the old law had become outdated or unnecessary. It also did not provide a clear way for the many government departments and civic agencies working across the city to coordinate their decisions. The CURE Act aims to address these problems by getting the agencies responsible for different parts of the city to work together.
Which areas and government agencies come under CURE?
The new system covers the Greater Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri municipal corporations. While they will continue to look after local civic services, the new law aims to get them and other government agencies to work together on problems that affect the wider city, covering nearly 1.30 crore people.
It brings these three corporations together with government agencies responsible for services such as policing, roads, water supply, sewerage, public transport, urban development and electricity. These include the police, Revenue Department, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB), Hyderabad Metro Rail, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation, HYDRAA and power utilities.
A CURE Apex Governance Council and an Executive Committee, with the Chief Minister as chairperson, will provide a common platform for coordination. The law also provides for dedicated bodies to deal with traffic, climate action, heritage, food safety, gender inclusion and workers’ welfare.
What will the CURE Apex Governance Council do?
The council will set priorities for the wider Hyderabad region and coordinate execution of projects. For example, a road project, a drainage problem or a traffic measure in one area may affect neighbouring areas too. The council is intended to help agencies plan and make decisions together instead of dealing with such problems separately.
What is the CURE Smart Governance Centre?
The CURE Smart Governance Centre will use technology, sensors, computer dashboards and live data to monitor civic services, infrastructure and emergencies across the region. It is intended to help officials spot problems and coordinate action when several agencies need to respond—for example, during a disaster or a major disruption to public services.
What changes for property owners?
The Act provides for a shift in how property tax is calculated. Instead of using the existing Annual Rental Value system, the new Capital Value System (CVS) will use a property's guideline value as the basis for calculating tax.
The proposed annual tax rates are:
Residential properties: 0.10% to 0.50% of the guideline value.
Non-residential properties: 0.20% to 2% of the guideline value.
Until the new rates are officially notified, the applicable interim rates will be 0.15% for residential properties and 0.75% for non-residential properties.
The annual increase in property tax will be capped at 10%. For example, if a property owner currently pays Rs 10,000 a year, the tax cannot exceed Rs 11,000 in the first year under the new system. The existing nominal annual tax of Rs 101 for properties measuring up to 375 sq ft will continue.
The CVS for property tax will apply immediately to newly constructed properties that have not yet been assessed. For existing properties, the new CVS system will be implemented from the next financial year (2027-28), beginning from April 1, 2027.
What are the new property ID and CURE-1 bill?
The law provides for a common system to manage property records and civic bills. Property tax, water charges, sewerage charges and sanitation dues will be combined into a single bill called CURE-1. Residents will also be able to access municipal services, approvals and licences through a common online portal.
Furthermore, each property will receive an Integrated Property Identity Code to link its municipal records. When a property sale is registered, the process of updating the municipal ownership records will begin automatically. This should reduce the need for buyers to visit municipal offices separately to update those records.
Will building approvals become faster?
The law aims to make building permission applications digital and subject to fixed deadlines. Under the BuildNow Telangana Portal, building permissions are processed within specific statutory timelines, and a deemed approval rule applies if the authority does not respond in time.
Residential plots (up to 500 sq.mts/10 mts height): The standard processing time is 15 days.
Larger Residential and all non-residential projects: The standard processing time is 21 days.
If the municipal bodies or development authorities fail to process or respond to a valid building permission application within the stipulated time limit, the permit is deemed to be approved under the governing framework subject to the construction not violating rules. However, it will not apply to:
Buildings situated in the buffer zone of water bodies
High-rise buildings
Buildings requiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Fire Services Department, Airport Authority and such other categories of buildings.
Does the Act recognise a night economy?
Yes. The law allows designated areas to be set aside for regulated business and commercial activity beyond normal daytime hours. This is the first time Hyderabad's municipal legal framework has formally provided for a night economy. The aim is also to encourage business and economic activity across the region.
What does the Act say about traffic and roads?
A new CURE Traffic Management and Road Safety Authority will oversee traffic and road safety across the region. The law calls for greater attention to footpaths, pedestrian crossings, ramps for people with disabilities, streetlights and traffic signals. It also provides for Safe School Zones around educational institutions.
It addresses another common problem: roads being dug up soon after they have been laid because different agencies need to install or repair underground utilities. A Utility Coordination Committee will coordinate these road-cutting works to reduce repeated digging and disruption.
Will disaster management be coordinated across Hyderabad?
Yes. The CURE Disaster Management Authority will coordinate work to prevent disasters, prepare for them, respond when they occur and manage recovery. HYDRAA will act as the disaster response agency.
The law also provides for fire safety audits and certification for specified buildings, including high-rises, based on the risks they pose. Buildings that present an immediate danger to life can be sealed until the problems are fixed. Other safety measures include adequate lighting in streets, parks, bus stops and transport hubs, as well as CCTV cameras in markets, transport areas and other public spaces.
What does the Act say about water bodies and public spaces?
The law prohibits sewage and pollutants from being discharged into nalas, lakes, and other water systems. It grants HYDRAA explicit legal backing to penalise illegal dumping and remove encroachments in these water bodies, as well as in parks and public spaces. Furthermore, individuals who dispose of construction and demolition waste illegally face strict fines, with heightened penalties enforced if the debris is left on footpaths, lakes, or nalas.
How will the Act improve safety and accessibility?
A dedicated Gender Inclusion Cell will ensure that urban planning actively accounts for the requirements of women, transgender individuals, children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities. This cell is tasked with gathering data, conducting research, and auditing government policies, budgets, and civic operations to verify they serve these demographics.
What are the rules for food safety and heritage?
A Food and Nutrition Committee will oversee nutrition standards and food safety across the region, working in direct coordination with the Commissioner of Food Safety. This body will audit existing laboratory services, enforcement gaps, and facility shortages to recommend structural upgrades to the government. Concurrently, a separate CURE Heritage Committee will hold direct oversight over the conservation and protection of historic precincts, heritage buildings, and protected areas.
Will existing records, licences, and building permissions transfer to the new system?
Yes. All active municipal services and pending applications have been automatically migrated into the new CURE framework. This integration heavily features pending building permissions, which are processed through the BuildNow Telangana platform (the Next-Gen Unified Building and Layout Approval System).
How does the new grievance redressal system work?
Residents experiencing issues with property taxes, building permissions, drainage, roads, sanitation, or general municipal services must first file a complaint through their specific municipal corporation's designated grievance mechanism. Citizens should maintain a strict record of all follow-up requests and official responses. If the issue remains unresolved after this initial step, the complaint should be formally escalated to the appropriate municipal officer or designated higher grievance authority according to standard procedures.
