What Happened
- The Telangana government issued G.O. Ms. No. 55 on February 11, 2026, formally splitting the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) into three separate municipal corporations.
- The three new entities are: the restructured Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (covering Khairatabad, Secunderabad, Charminar, Golconda, Rajendranagar, Shamshabad zones -- 689 sq km), Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (Serilingampally, Kukatpally, Quthbullapur zones -- 630 sq km), and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (Malkajgiri, Uppal, L.B. Nagar zones -- 734 sq km).
- Each corporation will have its own Mayor and Commissioner; IAS officers have been appointed as Commissioners for all three bodies.
- The original GHMC covered over 2,000 sq km and served a population exceeding 1.3 crore, making it one of India's largest municipal corporations.
- Municipal elections for the three new corporations are expected within six months, with a likely deadline of August 2026, pending ward delimitation and voter list updates.
Static Topic Bridges
74th Constitutional Amendment and Urban Local Governance
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (1992) added Part IX-A (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the Twelfth Schedule to the Constitution, giving constitutional status to urban local bodies. Article 243Q mandates the constitution of three types of municipalities: Nagar Panchayats (for transitional areas), Municipal Councils (for smaller urban areas), and Municipal Corporations (for larger urban areas). The Governor determines the type based on population, population density, revenue generation, and percentage of non-agricultural employment. The Twelfth Schedule lists 18 functions that may be devolved to municipalities, including urban planning, regulation of land use, public health, and water supply.
- 74th Amendment (1992): Added Part IX-A, Articles 243P-243ZG, and the 12th Schedule
- Article 243Q: Three types of municipalities -- Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council, Municipal Corporation
- Article 243R: Composition of municipalities -- direct election of ward members
- Article 243S: Constitution of Wards Committees in municipalities with population above 3 lakh
- Article 243U: Five-year term for municipalities; elections must be completed before term expiry
- Twelfth Schedule: 18 functions including urban planning, regulation of land use, public health, water supply
Connection to this news: The trifurcation of GHMC is an exercise of the state government's power under the 74th Amendment framework to reconstitute municipal bodies based on urban governance needs. Each new corporation must comply with constitutional requirements regarding elected councils, Wards Committees, and devolution of functions.
Municipal Corporation Structure and Administration
A Municipal Corporation is typically headed by a Mayor (elected from among corporators) and administered by a Municipal Commissioner (IAS officer appointed by the state government). The deliberative wing consists of elected councillors/corporators representing individual wards, while the executive wing is headed by the Commissioner. The Standing Committee, comprising elected members, exercises oversight over financial and administrative decisions between council meetings. Large cities may also have Zonal Committees for decentralised governance within the corporation area.
- Mayor: Elected from among corporators; largely ceremonial in most states (executive power with Commissioner)
- Municipal Commissioner: IAS officer; chief executive of the corporation
- Standing Committee: Financial oversight body of elected members
- Wards Committees (Article 243S): Mandatory in corporations with population above 3 lakh
- Sources of revenue: Property tax, water/sewerage charges, advertisement tax, grants from state and centre
- State control: State government has significant power over municipal finances, staffing, and boundary changes
Connection to this news: Each of the three new corporations will require its own elected council, Mayor, Standing Committee, and Wards Committees. The appointment of IAS officers as Commissioners for all three bodies ensures administrative continuity during the transition period before elections.
Debate on Urban Governance: Consolidation vs. Decentralisation
The trifurcation of GHMC stands in contrast to the recent trend of municipal consolidation, most notably the 2022 reunification of Delhi's three municipal corporations into a single Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The Delhi reunification was justified on grounds of financial instability, administrative duplication, and governance inefficiency that arose from the 2012 trifurcation. Critics argue that splitting large municipal bodies fragments urban planning, creates coordination challenges for infrastructure networks (water, drainage, transport), and weakens fiscal capacity. Proponents argue that smaller bodies enable more responsive governance and better citizen access.
- Delhi MCD trifurcation (2012): Split into three; reunified into one MCD in 2022 due to inefficiency
- Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022: Reversed the 2012 trifurcation
- Arguments for splitting: Better responsiveness, manageable area, faster decision-making, local focus
- Arguments against: Fragmented urban planning, duplicated administration, weakened fiscal base, coordination failures
- GHMC was India's largest municipal corporation by area (over 2,000 sq km) before trifurcation
- Metropolitan planning: Article 243ZE provides for Metropolitan Planning Committees for areas above 10 lakh population
Connection to this news: The Hyderabad trifurcation reopens the consolidation-vs-decentralisation debate in urban governance. While Delhi moved from three corporations to one citing inefficiency, Telangana is moving from one to three citing the need for manageable governance units. The presence or absence of a Metropolitan Planning Committee (Article 243ZE) will be crucial for ensuring coordinated planning across the three bodies.
Key Facts & Data
- G.O. Ms. No. 55 issued February 11, 2026: GHMC trifurcated into three corporations
- Restructured GHMC: 689 sq km (central/south Hyderabad) -- Commissioner: R.V. Karnan
- Cyberabad Municipal Corporation: 630 sq km (western IT corridor) -- Commissioner: G. Srijana
- Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation: 734 sq km (eastern zones) -- Commissioner: T. Vinay Krishna Reddy
- Original GHMC: Over 2,000 sq km, population exceeding 1.3 crore
- 74th Constitutional Amendment (1992): Part IX-A, Articles 243P-243ZG, Twelfth Schedule
- Elections expected within six months (by August 2026) after ward delimitation
- Contrast: Delhi MCD was reunified in 2022 after its 2012 trifurcation proved inefficient