The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has unveiled its budget for 2024–25, and it comes with promises that directly touch the daily life of every Hyderabadi. From fixing waterlogging issues to expanding green spaces, the civic body has put big numbers on the table. But the real question is—will these allocations make a difference in your neighborhood?

At HYDNEWS, we break down the key highlights, explore where the money is going, and analyze how the city’s growth story looks when you zoom in on both West and East Hyderabad.

The Big Picture: How Much and Where

This year, GHMC has focused heavily on three pillars:

• Infrastructure development – roads, bridges, and new projects to ease traffic bottlenecks.
• Drainage improvements – tackling the recurring nightmare of waterlogging during monsoons.
• Green and civic amenities – more parks, lakes, and spaces where families can breathe a little easier.

The budget clearly signals that GHMC wants to balance growth with livability. But, as always, the devil lies in the details.

West vs. East Hyderabad: The Uneven Growth Story

One of the biggest debates in Hyderabad’s urban planning is the imbalance between West and East.

• West Hyderabad (areas like Gachibowli, Madhapur, Kondapur) has been the city’s economic engine, attracting IT parks, global companies, and real estate booms. The budget continues to pour significant funds into road expansions, flyovers, and civic upgrades here—an attempt to support the city’s global image.
• East Hyderabad (areas like Uppal, LB Nagar, Malkajgiri) still struggles with poor roads, slower metro expansion, and lack of civic attention. While this budget has spoken of drainage fixes and some new roads for the East, citizens here will be watching closely to see if promises actually reach the ground.

For residents, this divide matters because it decides whether your area gets a proper footpath or remains stuck with potholes.

The Everyday Issues: Will They Be Solved?

Hyderabadis are tired of hearing promises year after year on the same problems. Here’s what this budget says about them:

• Waterlogging: Monsoon flooding has turned into a seasonal disaster. GHMC has pledged more funds for drainage upgrades. The real test? Whether the new stormwater projects are completed before the rains hit.
• Road repairs: From potholes on arterial roads to broken bylanes inside colonies, the gap is visible everywhere. The budget highlights a strong focus on road relaying, but the track record of execution leaves room for doubt.
• Green cover: The city has been expanding rapidly, often at the cost of trees and lakes. GHMC plans more parks and lake restorations this year. If implemented well, this could change Hyderabad’s quality of life in the long run.

Neighborhood Priorities: Is Your Area on the Map?

This is where it gets personal. GHMC’s budget documents are not just numbers—they include ward-level plans and project maps. That means, depending on where you live, you can actually track what’s planned for your neighborhood.

• Is your drainage line on the repair list?
• Will your nearby park see a facelift?
• Is the main road outside your colony getting funds for repair?

These are the questions Hyderabadis are asking, and the answers lie in the fine print of the budget. HYDNEWS will be following this closely to map out which neighborhoods are getting attention—and which are left waiting.

The Road Ahead: Hope vs. Reality

Budgets are promises on paper. The real challenge is execution. GHMC’s ability to deliver will depend on three things:

1. Speed of work – how quickly projects are tendered and completed.
2. Transparency – whether citizens can see how funds are actually being used.
3. Equity – whether East Hyderabad finally gets a fair share of development, or if West continues to dominate.

For now, the 2024–25 budget looks ambitious. It talks about the right issues—roads, drainage, and green cover—but the people of Hyderabad have heard these words before. What they want this year is proof on the ground.

Final Word

As Hyderabad grows into a global city, civic planning has to match the speed of its ambitions. The GHMC budget 2024–25 is a step in that direction, but only consistent execution will tell if this year’s promises actually translate into better roads, fewer floods, and greener spaces.

For citizens, the takeaway is clear: stay informed, track the projects in your area, and hold the civic body accountable. That’s how this budget moves from paper to progress.

Citizens’ Concerns: Voices from the Ground

Budgets often look impressive on paper, but citizens measure success in small, everyday ways.

• Ramesh, a shopkeeper in Chaderghat, says, “Every year, we hear about drainage funds. But when the rains come, our street turns into a lake. If this budget really fixes that, then it’s a relief. Otherwise, it’s just another announcement.”
• Priya, a tech worker from Kondapur, points out, “The flyovers and signal-free corridors are helping us reach offices faster, but once we turn into our colonies, it’s still bad roads and waterlogging. The balance is missing.”
• Farida, a homemaker in Uppal, adds, “We don’t just want new projects. We want existing parks and playgrounds to be maintained properly. That’s what makes daily life better.”

These voices highlight a key theme—execution matters more than announcements.

Expert Take: What Urban Planners Say

Urban planning experts believe Hyderabad has reached a turning point. The city’s growth cannot only be about IT corridors and skyscrapers; it must also address civic basics.

• Dr. Anil Rao, urban development researcher, explains, “Budgets like GHMC’s 2024–25 are ambitious, but the challenge lies in two things: finishing projects on time and maintaining them later. Without accountability, the same issues—waterlogging, potholes, lack of greenery—will return year after year.”
• Civic activists argue that more citizen participation is needed. If GHMC opened up live dashboards showing how much money is being spent in each ward, residents could track progress and raise red flags when delays happen.

Where the Money Could Change Lives

If the GHMC executes even half of its commitments, Hyderabad could see visible improvements:

• Less flooding during the next monsoon season.
• Smoother commuting with more road relaying and traffic management.
• Cleaner, greener neighborhoods with lake rejuvenation and new parks.
• A fairer city, where East Hyderabad doesn’t lag far behind the West.

For many residents, these are not luxuries—they are necessities that define how livable the city feels.

Looking Beyond 2024–25

Budgets are yearly exercises, but Hyderabad’s challenges require long-term vision. The next five years will decide whether the city:

1. Becomes a global hub with world-class infrastructure,
2. Or struggles with the same recurring civic issues.

GHMC’s focus on infrastructure and civic amenities is encouraging, but unless there’s consistent follow-through, Hyderabad risks widening the gap between the parts of the city that shine and those that remain ignored.

Conclusion: A Test Year for GHMC

The GHMC Budget 2024–25 has set ambitious goals. From tackling waterlogging to creating green spaces, the blueprint is promising. But for Hyderabadis, the real story will unfold not in press releases, but in everyday experiences—whether the street outside their home gets repaired, whether their colony drains are unclogged before the rains, and whether their neighborhood park is restored for their children.

For now, it’s a year of waiting and watching. Hyderabadis know one thing for sure: the city deserves more than promises. It deserves delivery.

Stay connect with HYDNEWS.NET (WhatsApp Community) as we track how this budget translates into action across different neighborhoods of Hyderabad. We’ll bring you updates, ground reports, and citizen voices throughout the year.