The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is preparing for a significant administrative expansion that could nearly double its existing number of wards. According to official developments, the civic body may increase its wards from the current 150 to almost 300, driven by rapid urban growth and the planned merger of 27 neighbouring municipalities.
The proposed expansion aims to bring uniformity in civic services, streamline governance, and ensure better infrastructure management across areas that have witnessed substantial development in recent years. With this move, GHMC’s jurisdiction, which currently covers around 650 square kilometres, is expected to expand to more than 2,000 square kilometres. This would make it one of the largest municipal corporations in the country in terms of both population and geographic spread.
Most of the municipalities proposed for merger fall within or around the Outer Ring Road, where suburban growth has accelerated. The expansion focuses on creating a more integrated metropolitan governance structure to handle rising demands in sanitation, drainage, road maintenance, housing, and public utilities.
To execute the restructuring, the Centre for Good Governance (CGG) has initiated a detailed study to assess population distribution, administrative boundaries, and feasibility for delimitation of wards. The final number of wards will depend on the study’s recommendations. Officials have also noted that the government may consider dividing GHMC into multiple smaller corporations if required for better administrative efficiency.
Currently, GHMC operates with around 4,000 permanent staff and nearly 27,000 contract workers. With the proposed expansion, estimates indicate that an additional 20,000 to 25,000 personnel may be needed to manage civic services effectively across the extended jurisdiction. The restructuring would also involve large-scale planning for waste management, transportation, and urban development to meet the needs of the growing metropolitan population.
The GHMC expansion plan marks one of the most extensive civic reforms for Hyderabad, reflecting the city’s fast-paced growth and increasing administrative requirements. As the study progresses, further clarity on new ward boundaries and governance models is expected in the coming months.
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