Telangana’s Plan to Merge Villages with Municipalities Raises Red Flags for Residents and Politicians

Hyderabad: The Telangana State government’s recent move to merge several villages into surrounding municipalities and plans to merge neighboring municipalities into corporations is causing widespread concern among residents and politicians.

The merger, expected to affect property taxes, infrastructure, and political dynamics, has sparked anxiety among people and local leaders alike. While some view the initiative as a step towards urbanization and development, others fear it will increase costs without the promised infrastructure improvements.

People Express Concerns Over Increased Taxes and Charges

On September 2, the state government issued a gazette announcing the merger of 51-gram panchayats from the Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, and Sangareddy districts into different municipalities along the Outer Ring Road. In addition, the government has also decided to establish two new municipal corporations—Mahabubnagar and Mancherial—and 12 new municipalities. Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu informed the state assembly about these changes last week.

According to the government, the mergers are designed to meet the growing demands of urbanization and improve development prospects. However, residents, especially in the merged villages, are concerned that their property taxes and other charges will significantly increase without any corresponding improvement in infrastructure or amenities.

A member of the Telangana Sarpanches Association explained that people from smaller rural areas would now be required to pay municipal-level fees, such as trade license charges, which are much higher than those in gram panchayats. “While we welcome development, the lack of infrastructure and the additional financial burden from higher taxes will be difficult for the rural population,” the member said.

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Political Leaders Anxious About Career Prospects

In addition to residents’ concerns, political leaders in the affected areas also express unease about the impact on their careers. Medchal MLA Ch Malla Reddy highlighted in the Assembly the problems of over 440 elected representatives, including corporators, councillors, mayors, sarpanches, and ward members, whose political prospects could be affected by the mergers.

The Medchal constituency alone includes seven municipalities, three corporations, and 61 villages, many of which are rural areas where farming remains the primary livelihood. Merging these villages into urban municipalities could dilute the political influence of local leaders, according to Reddy.

“With the mergers, the local political landscape will change significantly. Many leaders fear their positions will be undermined, which could have long-term effects on their careers,” Reddy said.

Government’s Stand on Development and Urbanization

While the state government is pushing for these mergers to support urbanization and development, it claims that the character of the villages merging into municipalities will change for the better. Minister D Sridhar Babu stated that the government had made these decisions based on the people’s aspirations for more development, citing the rapid urbanization taking place in the state.

He added that the recommendations of district collectors and panchayat special officers were also considered before finalizing the mergers.

Looking Ahead

As these changes take effect, residents and political leaders are left to grapple with the dual concerns of rising costs and shifting political power. While the Telangana government is working towards a vision of greater urban integration, it remains to be seen whether the promises of development will meet the people’s expectations in these newly merged areas.

The next few months will likely be critical in determining the impact of these decisions on both local communities and their political representatives. As residents await infrastructure improvements, leaders must adapt to the new realities of an evolving political landscape.