The Telangana government led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has taken a major decision to reform Hyderabad’s municipal administration, moving to scrap the 70-year-old GHMC Act and merge three corporations — GHMC, MMC, and CMC — under a new law. On Sunday, the government released the draft CURE Bill (Core Urban Region – Integrated Governance) 2026, comprising 43 chapters and nine schedules. The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) department announced that public opinions and suggestions will be accepted until July 24.
If implemented, the draft CURE 2026 bill is likely to increase the tax burden on property owners across Hyderabad. The government has proposed replacing the current Annual Rental Value system with a capital-value-based method for determining property tax, under which land and buildings would be taxed based on the government-fixed market value used for registration. Officials note that properties within the old GHMC limits, in particular, could see a significant tax increase, with hikes for existing buildings likely to be phased in gradually, while the new system would apply immediately to newly constructed buildings.
Under the CURE draft, strict measures will be taken to curb illegal constructions. Commissioners can seal unauthorized structures — even occupied ones — after giving 24 hours’ notice, and can seal immediately without notice if public safety is at risk. The law also prioritizes sanitation and public health: a fine of 0.25% of a plot’s capital value will be imposed for garbage dumped on vacant sites, continuing until the waste is cleared, as part of the government’s effort to keep the city clean.
The bill includes key food safety provisions under Chapter 33, mandating a “Food Safety and Nutrition Committee” chaired by the Principal Secretary of Urban Development with the Food Safety Commissioner as convener, to oversee food safety standards across the CURE region. Environmental protection also receives emphasis, with a CURE Smart Governance Centre to be set up for alerting government departments during disasters, and HYDRAA to be granted statutory recognition with full responsibility for protecting lakes, canals, and government lands. Under Section 168, the sale, purchase, or transfer of unauthorized properties and illegal constructions will be banned, with owners of such structures notified and placed on a restricted list. The bill also proposes boosting the night economy by designating certain areas as night economy zones permitting round-the-clock business, and plans a single online portal for all emergency services.
The government has made the CURE Bill available for public consultation, inviting citizens to submit feedback online at https://ghmc.gov.in/categoryWiseInsertReport.aspx or in writing to the Special Chief Secretary, MAUD department, Secretariat, Hyderabad, with the draft also posted on the websites of all three corporations. The government reiterated that suggestions and objections will be accepted only until July 24.