HYDERABAD: Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu on Friday said the government would take a decision at a later stage on whether two, three or five municipal corporations would be created within the Telangana Core Urban Region (TCUR).
Replying to the debate in the Legislative Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who also holds the Municipal Administration portfolio, the minister said no conclusion had been reached so far.
He said the chief minister intended to hold discussions with all public representatives belonging to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) before a decision was taken and communicated.
The Assembly passed the Telangana Municipalities (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2025, and two amendments to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 2025, after a lengthy debate. The Bills seek to merge surrounding urban local bodies (ULBs) with the GHMC.
Responding to concerns raised by members, Sridhar Babu said the objective of the state government was to ensure uniform service delivery and planned infrastructure development across the TCUR. He said the ordinance to merge surrounding ULBs into the GHMC was brought to facilitate sustainable and comprehensive development of the city.
The minister added that the merger would not result in any additional tax burden on residents and that steps would be taken to mobilise the required resources.
Delimitation of wards as per rules: Min
On the issue of procedure, the minister said all rules had been followed in the delimitation of wards. He said the Union government had issued a circular freezing territorial demarcations of villages, municipalities and other local bodies by December 31, ahead of the Census scheduled to begin in 2026.
The ordinance, he said, was introduced to avoid delays. He added that the process had been initiated about a year ago with the formation of the TCUR, and that public objections and suggestions had been invited. Of the 5,935 suggestions received by the GHMC, 1,127 were accepted and 516 partly accepted, accounting for about 27% of the total.
Sridhar Babu also said there would be co-terminus arrangements at the zonal level for departments such as the Water Board, and that there would be no duplication of functions.
During the debate, AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi demanded that the Bills be referred to a select committee. He sought the tabling of reports by the Centre for Good Governance and the Administrative Staff College of India on ward delimitation and the expansion of the GHMC.
He alleged that the government was acting in haste without taking the opposition and ruling party representatives into confidence. He said his party was not opposed to development but wanted procedures to be followed.
Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender asked the government to clarify the number and names of the proposed corporations and the jurisdiction of revenue districts, the Water Board and other departments. He sought clarity on whether separate water boards would be created or whether services would remain under a single structure.
BJP MLA Palvai Harish Babu said the merger of surrounding ULBs was against public opinion and that ward delimitation had been carried out in an unscientific manner. He questioned the rationale behind expanding the city without adequate infrastructure to support the increased population and alleged that the move would weaken municipal self-governance.
CPI MLA Kunamneni Sambashiva Rao said city expansion should focus on providing better services to residents rather than only on making Hyderabad one of the largest cities. He urged the government to prioritise the creation of basic amenities.
KCR should attend, clarify stand on PRLIS: Kavitha
Telangana Jagruthi president and MLC Kalavakuntla Kavitha urged her father and former Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to attend the ongoing Assembly session and participate in the discussion on Krishna water issues. Describing the alleged shifting of the source point of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme from Jurala to Srisailam as a historical mistake, she said it would be appropriate for KCR to explain his stand on the issue.
Referring to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s remarks that KCR should be hanged for the mistakes committed during the previous government, she said that then Revanth Reddy should be hanged twice for the mistakes and injustice he is committing against Telangana in the matter of Krishna water utilisation.
She said it is inappropriate for Revanth Reddy to use such language against the BRS chief and added that, as KCR’s daughter, her blood is boiling over the remarks. On Friday, Kavitha met Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy at his chamber, urging him to accept her resignation. She said that she should be given an opportunity to speak in the Council about her decision before her resignation is accepted.
One-time road safety cess on new vehicles
Hyderabad: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Friday informed the Assembly that a one-time road safety cess will be imposed on new vehicles at the time of registration. “This will not be applicable to old vehicles, and tractors and autos,” he added. The minister was speaking during a debate after the House passed the Telangana Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which is envisaged to collect road safety cess and tax on four-wheeled light goods carriages.
Proposed cess
Rs 2,000 for two wheelers
Rs 5,000 for light motor vehicles, excluding agricultural tractors and tractor trailers
Rs 10,000 for all other non-transport and transport vehicles, except motorcycles, light motor vehicles, three-wheeled contract carriages
Tax rate on 4-wheeled light goods carriages
At the time of registration of a new vehicle — 7.5% of vehicle cost
If the vehicle is already registered and brought on the rolls of Telangana from another state and its age is less than three years — 6.5% of vehicle cost
If the vehicle is already registered and brought on the rolls of Telangana from another state and its age is more than three years and less than six years —5% of vehicle cost
If the vehicle is already registered and brought on the rolls of Telangana from another state and its age is more than six years — 4% of vehicle cost