HYDERABAD: Despite the merger of 17 municipalities into three corporations – Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC), and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC) – revenue from building approvals in the Telangana Core Urban Region (CURE) has seen only a slight increase.
The original GHMC, which covered six zones over 650 sq km, generated ₹1,138 crore from building permits in 2024-25. In contrast, the newly expanded CURE, now comprising 12 zones, reported ₹1,172 crore in 2025-26. However, this represents a significant drop of approximately ₹282 crore compared to 2022-23.
Of the 15,536 building permissions granted in 2025-26, a majority—12,014 cases—were processed through the instant approval system. The single-window clearance system accounted for 2,515 approvals, primarily for larger projects, while 972 permissions were issued via instant registration. Notably, CMC was responsible for 45% of the total revenue.
Civic officials observed that most approvals are now taking place outside GHMC limits due to limited construction space in the core city. Construction activity is largely focused in the western corridor. Previously merged municipalities were allowed to approve buildings only up to 10 floors, while high-rise approvals remained under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), which restricts their revenue potential.
GHMC has digitized its building permission system through the BuildNow portal, which covers occupancy certificates and layout approvals. Instant approvals are available for individual residential buildings on plots ranging from 75 to 600 square yards, with heights up to 10 meters. Verification is conducted post-approval before issuing a work commencement letter.
Under the single-window system, approvals are required for residential buildings on plots larger than 500 square meters or exceeding 10 meters in height, as well as all non-residential developments—such as high-rises, group housing, and multiplexes—that necessitate multiple no-objection certificates (NOCs). This streamlined process allows applicants to obtain building permission orders directly through the online portal.
