andhra Pradesh (ap) is witnessing a bitter struggle over the formation of Greater Hyderabad. On August 22, 2005, a division bench of ap High Court (hc) granted a stay on the process but the government is trying to get the stay vacated at the next hearing on September 6, 2005. Eleven non-governmental organisations (ngos) have submitted a memorandum to chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, urging him to drop the plan. They might also form an alliance to oppose the move.

In July 2005, Reddy surprised most of his ministers, including municipal administration minister Koneru Ranga Rao, by suddenly pushing through the proposal to form Greater Hyderabad at a cabinet meeting. The proposal comprises expanding the existing 178 square kilometres (sq km) area with its 3,668,000 population under the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (mch) to 724 sq km area with 5,500,000 people. The result: 12 adjoining municipalities and eight gram panchayats will be merged into Hyderabad city. "Ever growing city needs prompted us to take the decision. As Greater Hyderabad will have above five million population, we will be eligible for about Rs 500 crore worth central and international grants. Besides, the city will get a-1 status,' explains a senior government official.

But the move is being widely protested. mch passed a unanimous resolution on August 4, 2005, rejecting it; most Congress legislators abstained. Many environmentalists, ngos, all municipalities and gram panchyats concerned and all political parties, barring the Congress, also oppose it. The government had issued a notification on July 20, 2005, inviting public objections within 15 days. Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen member of parliament from Hyderabad, Asaduddin Owaisi, filed a writ petition against the move, upon which the August 22 stay was passed.

"Greater Hydreabad will be a disastrous idea...it will be impossible for one civic body to handle such a big area,' says Hyderabad Mayor Teegala Krishna Reddy, a Telugu Desam Party member. Some Congress legislators have also approached the All India Congress Committee against the move.