HMDA plans 16 new divisions
Going for major administrative reforms as its jurisdiction expanded to 10,526 sqkm
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is set for a major administrative overhaul as its jurisdiction expands significantly. In line with its growth from 7,257 sqkm to 10,526 sqkm, HMDA has initiated key reforms aimed at speeding up governance and ensuring greater transparency.
To make administration more accessible to citizens, HMDA will be reorganized into 16 divisions (clusters). Each cluster will be headed by a Director or Zonal Commissioner–level officer, with powers to issue approvals and clearances at the zonal level rather than centralizing them at the headquarters.
As part of this decentralization process, the government has already sanctioned two new Joint Municipal Commissioner (JMC) posts—one for areas within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and another for the extended zones beyond the ORR.
The expansion will increase HMDA’s coverage from 7 to 11 districts, 70 to 104 mandals, and 1,032 to 1,359 villages. With this, the authority aims to bring planning and permissions closer to the public, eliminating the need for routine visits to the central office.
Each division will have a dedicated staff setup including planning officers, chief engineers, and superintending engineers. HMDA has also invited proposals from consultancies to study administrative models, recommend limits for approvals, and align development strategies with the Master Plan 2050. The consultant’s report will guide the final implementation of the restructuring exercise.
Officials said the reforms are modeled along the lines of municipal corporations, ensuring more efficiency in planning, approvals, and service delivery.
