Mulugu Set For First Municipal Polls After Grade-III Upgrade From Hamlet To District Hub

Warangal: Mulugu, described locally as the ‘Gateway to the Forests’, is set to witness a key administrative transition with its first-ever municipal elections following its upgrade as a Grade-III municipality in 2025.

Once a small forest hamlet with a population of just over 1,000, Mulugu has steadily expanded over the decades to become a district headquarters and, from April 5 this year, a municipality. The elections will determine the first chairperson of the newly constituted urban local body.

Mulugu’s administrative history dates back to the Nizam era, when it functioned as a gram panchayat in the Hyderabad State. After the integration of the Nizam’s territories into the Indian Union, the panchayat raj system was introduced in 1956, with Jonnala Subba Reddy elected as the first sarpanch. The settlement later grew into a major gram panchayat after merging nearby villages including Madhavaraopalli and Rangaraopalli.

A major shift occurred on February 17, 2019, when the state government carved Mulugu out as a separate district comprising nine mandals. Despite becoming a district headquarters, Mulugu continued as a major panchayat until April 2025. The merger of Bandarupalli and Jeevantharaopalli enabled it to meet the required population criteria for municipal status. The town now has a population of 16,533, divided into 20 election wards.

The maiden municipal elections have attracted 83 candidates contesting for 20 ward seats. Major political parties, Congress, BRS and BJP, have together fielded 60 candidates, while the CPM has nominated two candidates.

Independents form a significant presence with 21 candidates, many of them party rebels or local leaders with strong community backing. Ward 13 has emerged as the most crowded constituency with 13 candidates, followed by Wards 9 and 5. With the chairperson’s post reserved for a Backward Class woman, both Congress and BRS have intensified their campaign efforts.

Despite the change in status, civic conditions remain a concern for the town’s 13,963 registered voters. Residents of newly developed colonies such as Lakshmi Nagar and Brindavan Colony report the absence of proper roads, with several stretches remaining mud tracks.

Lack of cement concrete roads in multiple wards results in slushy conditions during the monsoon. Wards 4, 5 and 6 face inadequate street lighting, affecting safety after dark. Irregular garbage collection, illegal dumping of meat waste near residential areas, stray animal menace, and inconsistent drinking water supply due to incomplete pipelines are among the other key issues.

The elected council will face the immediate task of upgrading basic civic infrastructure as Mulugu transitions from an agency area to an urban local body. Improving amenities in line with its status as a district headquarters is expected to be a priority for the new administration.

Municipal authorities have identified the need for a master plan covering drainage, waste management and public spaces. As municipal commissioner Thanniru Ramesh oversees the transition process, the outcome of the elections is expected to shape Mulugu’s next phase of urban governance.