Cyberabad Municipal Corporation Set to Emerge as Telangana's Wealthiest Civic Body
The newly established Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) is on track to become the richest civic body in Telangana, thanks to its inclusion of high-revenue zones such as Serilingampally, Kukatpally, and Quthbullapur. This development marks a significant shift in the municipal landscape of the Greater Hyderabad region.
Revenue Performance Outshines Larger Counterparts
Data analysis reveals that despite having only 76 wards—barely half the 150 wards that will comprise the restructured Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)—the CMC is set to outperform GHMC in tax collections. In the current financial year (2025–26), the 76 wards under Cyberabad have already collected Rs 820 crore in property tax, surpassing the Rs 750 crore collected by GHMC's 150 wards.
This figure is nearly double the collections of the 74-ward Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC). Officials anticipate that the total property tax revenue for Cyberabad will reach an impressive Rs 1,200 crore by March 31, underscoring its financial dominance.
Concentration of High-Revenue Zones
A striking indicator of Cyberabad's revenue strength is the performance of its top property tax-collecting circles. Madhapur and Serilingampally, both within CMC limits, are the two highest revenue-generating circles in the entire Greater Hyderabad region. Together, they have contributed Rs 292 crore in property tax, accounting for nearly 15% of the total Rs 1,995 crore collected from all 60 circles across the region.
G Srijana, the newly appointed commissioner of CMC, emphasized the importance of revenue for development. "Revenue is critical for development activities," she stated. "We will strengthen sanitation, address infrastructure gaps, and focus on improving parks, footpaths, and street lighting. Development will also be taken up in areas that were previously neglected." She added that revenue augmentation efforts will include identifying unassessed and under-assessed properties to maximize collections.
Factors Driving Cyberabad's Financial Strength
The financial prowess of the CMC can be attributed to several key factors:
- Rapidly Expanding IT Corridor: The area is home to a booming IT sector, which drives high property values and tax revenues.
- Dense Commercial Establishments: Numerous businesses and commercial hubs contribute significantly to municipal receipts.
- Premium Residential Layouts: Upscale housing developments and high-rise buildings enhance property tax bases.
- Building Permissions: CMC limits include approvals for high-rise and gated community projects, generating substantial revenue through building fees, impact fees, and development charges.
Beyond property taxes, CMC is expected to generate high revenue from trade licenses, advertisement fees, and other municipal sources, outpacing Malkajgiri. Additionally, several ongoing and proposed infrastructure projects—such as road expansions, flyovers, and urban amenities—are concentrated in the Cyberabad region, further boosting its economic profile.
Impact on Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation
The restructuring has led to a sharp dip in revenue for GHMC, which lost the lucrative IT corridor zones to Cyberabad. During the 2024–25 financial year, the erstwhile GHMC recorded over Rs 2,000 crore in property tax collections and an additional Rs 1,500 crore from sources like building permissions and mutations. With the bifurcation and only about six weeks remaining in the current financial year, GHMC is projected to close at around Rs 1,000 crore—nearly half of its previous collections.
To mitigate this decline, GHMC has implemented digital measures to enhance revenue. A senior official from GHMC's revenue wing explained, "To improve revenue, all property tax services are fully digitised, including mutations and blocking of duplicate records. We also integrated property tax data with TGSPDCL to enhance revenue realisation."
The formation of the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation represents a pivotal moment in Telangana's urban governance, with its financial strength poised to drive significant development in the region while reshaping revenue dynamics across Greater Hyderabad.
