Telangana plans to extend HMDA jurisdiction to Regional Ring Road

Hyderabad: In an effort to accelerate urban development through mobility and with a focus on infrastructure, the Telangana government is preparing a comprehensive master plan for Hyderabad Metropolitan Region 2050.

Under this mega master plan, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority’s (HMDA) jurisdiction is set to expand beyond the Regional Ring Road. The proposal is expected to be discussed and approved in the State Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held on March 6, 2025.

Under the new plan, the area within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) will be classified as the core urban zone, while the region extending from the ORR to the Regional Ring Road (RRR) will be designated as a semi-urban zone. The remaining areas will be categorized as rural Telangana.

The mega master plan will have three distinct categories: the urban area within the Outer Ring Road (ORR), encompassing the city limits of Hyderabad; the peri-urban region extending from the ORR to the Regional Ring Road (RRR) and remaining areas will be categorized as rural Telangana.

As a result, approximately 2,000 square kilometers within the ORR will come under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits while HMDA's jurisdiction will extend another five kilometers beyond the ORR towards the RRR.

Currently, HMDA covers seven districts and spans 7,257 square kilometers. However, the master expansion plan is expected to increase the jurisdiction to between 11,000 and 12,000 square kilometers.

Initially, HMDA covered parts of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nalgonda, and Mahabubnagar districts. Following the district reorganization in Telangana, HMDA's jurisdiction expanded to seven districts, and plans are now underway to further increase its coverage to 11 districts, incorporating Nalgonda, Nagarkurnool, Vikarabad, and Mahabubnagar. A government order (GO) would be issued soon after the cabinet approval, according to an HMDA official.

Meanwhile, HMDA authorities are planning to construct the radial roads to connect the ORR with RRR. The construction of a radial road from Raviryal on the ORR to Amangal on the RRR is already in progress.

Considering future transportation needs, the government is preparing a comprehensive mobility plan which is expected to be released soon. The administration is also taking measures to establish a special authority for the development of the proposed Fourth City, for which a government order was issued last month.

Meanwhile, the areas surrounding Shamshabad are witnessing rapid growth, with new projects coming up including a skill university, educational institutions, and industrial hubs. This development will help Fourth City emerge as a major economic and educational hub.