Explaining the salient feature of the Core Urban Region (Integrated Governance) Bill, 2026, the Legislative Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu said the population of Hyderabad when Municipal Act was introduced in 1955 was 15 lakh and the population of CURE now is 1.30 lakh. In the seven decades, the city has expanded, population has increased, industrial activities and traffic has increased. 

Mr. Sridhar Babu said that there were no heritage buildings, Metro network, lakhs of vehicles, IT corridors, data centres, electric vehicles or online services when the Act in 1955 was implemented. Times have changed. The Hyderabad city then and now is different, he said. 

Provisions for floods and disaster prevention, conservation of water bodies are not mentioned in the old Act. 

Stating that we are all moving towards the digital age and smart cities, the Minister said the new generation wants digital and smart governance. 

He said that the bill was introduced to meet the needs of this and the future generations.