Municipal corporations are the custodians of urban infrastructure, civic services provisioning, and development in the city. Their strategies for managing each year’s operating budget directly impact their capacity to sustain and manage local services for citizens, carry out projects, improve quality of life, and make communities prosperous.
Here are the 10 richest municipal corporations in India, by budget, for 2025–26, based on the most recent data available:
1. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai - ₹74,427 Cr
Mumbai is India’s financial capital and its huge size does not match city scale. BMC’s budget provides funding for large-scale urban planning projects and urban transport projects, sanitation, and public services catering to 1.2 crore local population of Mumbai.
2. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru - ₹19,930 Cr
IT hub Bengaluru is second. BBMP’s budget focuses on fast-track infrastructure improvements, traffic management, and city upgrading projects.
3. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) - ₹16,530 Cr
As its headquarters with a population of over 1.8 crore, the municipal body of Delhi handles sanitation, road maintenance, and public health services.
4. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) - ₹15,502 Cr
AMC dedicates resources to smart city projects, conservation of heritage, and proper urban administration for promoting sustainable development.
5. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) - ₹12,618 Cr
PMC undertakes heavy investment in Pune’s infrastructure, public transportation, city enhancement, and urban planning, to cater to Pune’s fast-growing economy.
6. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad - ₹11,460 Cr
GHMC’s focus is on urban planning, waste disposal and management, public safety, and urban expansion in compliance with the city’s growing population and industry.
7. Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), Surat - ₹10,000 Cr
Surat’s budget is dedicated to urban sanitation improvements, flood control, and upkeep of its booming commercial and industrial corridors.
8. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Chennai - ₹8,400 Cr
Greater Chennai Corporation finances flood control, road network, health care, and other projects to strengthen the city’s urban resilience.
9. Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Kolkata - ₹5,166 Cr
Investment projects in heritage conservation, public health, modernization of municipalities, and urban sustainability projects.
10. Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), Visakhapatnam - ₹4,672 Cr
GVMC is committed to sustainable urban development, port city infrastructure, and the main public service to the citizens of the port city.
Key Highlights:
- Mumbai reigns supreme: BMC’s budget exceeds 3.7x larger than the combined budgets of Bengaluru and Delhi, making it India’s richest municipal corporation.
- Southern cities rising: In the south, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad rank high, mirroring brisk urban growth and higher financial development expenditure in the region.
- Budgets as a barometer of urban capacity: The scale of a municipal corporation’s budget reflects its ability to effectively serve the city through efficient services, infrastructure building, and public investments for urban growth.
- Municipal corporations as fulcrums of growth: Knowing what they can budget for offers a window into India’s cities’ growth—how they are maturing, and how both public and private sectors operate in these regions.
