Hyderabad launches new CURE law to unify urban services

Hyderabad's Core Urban Region (CURE) law took effect on Oct 2, 2026, replacing the 1955 GHMC Act and reshaping urban governance across a 2,053 sq km area within the Outer Ring Road. The new act reorganises the region into three municipal bodies – GHMC, Cyberabad Municipal Corporation and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation – and creates a CURE Apex Governance Council led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to handle issues that cross city borders. Representatives from the three corporations, police, Revenue Department, HMDA, water board, power utilities, Metro Rail, TSRTC and HYDRAA will meet in the council to discuss common problems such as flooding, traffic jams, heat stress, water scarcity, illegal encroachments and fire hazards. Property administration is overhauled: mutation follows registration automatically, each plot gets an Integrated Property Identity Code, and tax, water, sewerage and sanitation fees are combined into a single bill called CURE‑1. The law also sets up a single online portal for permits and licences, with automatic deemed approval if an authority does not act in time. Property‑tax assessment now uses the Registration Department's guideline value instead of rental value, and any yearly rise is capped at 10 percent. A Utility Coordination Committee will manage road‑cutting work, while a proposed CURE Traffic Management and Road Safety Authority will oversee traffic safety. HYDRAA gains statutory power to clear encroachments and waste in lakes, parks and open spaces. The act removes more than 100 outdated provisions, including taxes on tongas, jatkas, horses, camels and elephants, and mandates gender‑inclusive planning and facilities for women, transgender persons, people with disabilities, children and seniors.

Context

The law aims to streamline services for a fast‑growing population of about 1.3 crore residents, addressing long‑standing fragmentation among municipal agencies and reducing bureaucratic delays.