A proposed administrative expansion could see Hyderabad join the ranks of the world's 20 most populous cities, according to an analysis of United Nations data. The planned merger of 27 surrounding municipalities with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) would dramatically increase the city's official population, pushing it past the crucial one-crore threshold to become a global megacity.
Currently ranked as the world's 37th most populous urban agglomeration with an estimated 2025 population of 91 lakh, Hyderabad would see its numbers surge to approximately 1.5 crore post-merger.
This leap, based on criteria from the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs, would place the Telangana capital at 18th position globally, surpassing major hubs like London and New York and positioning it just behind Mexico City and Beijing.
The data, as cited by TOI, originates from the UN's "World Urbanisation Prospects 2025" report, which utilises European Union remote sensing and population datasets.
Within India, the change would be equally significant. Hyderabad, currently the nation's sixth-largest city after Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai, is projected to climb two places, overtaking both Bengaluru and Chennai.
Infrastructure under the spotlight
While the demographic shift signifies rapid urban growth, urban planners warn it will place enormous strain on the city's civic infrastructure. Experts cited by TOI stress that essential services — including road networks, drainage, drinking water supply and healthcare — require immediate and substantial upgrades to sustain the expanded population.
A particular point of concern is solid waste management. Hyderabad currently generates between 8,000 and 9,000 tonnes of garbage daily, with only about half being recycled; the remainder is deposited in the overburdened Jawahar Nagar landfill.
A senior city urban planner indicated that waste generation is expected to rise significantly with the merger, necessitating urgent investment in more recycling centres, decentralised processing facilities and formalised segregation systems to avert a sanitation crisis.
The planner further emphasised the need to extend water supply networks to all areas within the Outer Ring Road and to lay comprehensive sewerage lines across the newly merged municipalities and gram panchayats.
Transportation hailed as critical challenge
Public transportation is identified as one of the most pressing challenges for the future megacity. Transport planning expert TS Reddy, a retired official from the Central Road Research Institute, argued that mass transit must form the backbone of any new masterplan for the enlarged GHMC limits.
The transport expert urged the government to prioritise mobility, stating that mass public transport must become the metropolitan region's backbone rather than an afterthought.
He reportedly warned that without a major expansion of metro rail, enhanced MMTS services and seamless bus connectivity, the city would face worsening congestion, longer commutes and increased pollution.
Reddy called for all transport systems — Metro, MMTS, buses, cycling networks and footpaths — to be fully integrated into a unified mobility grid capable of supporting a population exceeding one crore.
The UN report highlights Hyderabad's rapid growth trajectory, noting the city added 27 lakh residents between 2000 and 2025, with an annual growth rate of 1.48%, among the highest for Indian cities.
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