Hyderabad, March 21 With a projected urban population of over 50 per cent by 2026, Telangana will be far ahead of the national average in urbanization, which the country as a whole is not expected to reach even after a decade, according to the state government's Socio Economic Outlook.
It stated that Telangana is undergoing a historic urban transition, with cities emerging as the primary engines of economic growth, innovation, and service delivery.
According to the National Population Projection Report (2011–2036), the state's urban population is projected to reach 50.08 per cent in 2026, significantly higher than the projected national average of 36.01 per cent, and is expected to rise further to 57.60 per cent (2.3 crore) by 2036, compared to 39.06 per cent for India.
"This trajectory indicates that Telangana is achieving levels of urbanization today that the country as a whole is not expected to reach even after another decade," it said.
Highlighting the state government's urban development initiatives, the report said that the AI-integrated BuildNow platform achieved a national benchmark by completing the scrutiny of a 24 lakh sq ft building with 66 floors in just one minute 31 seconds.
Observing that Telangana is a national pioneer in leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), LiDAR, and other technologies to modernize urban administration, it said that these digital interventions leverage spatial intelligence and automated scrutiny to ensure transparency, reduce human error, and provide real-time solutions for a rapidly urbanizing population.
They eliminate bureaucratic delays, protect public assets, and bring government services to the fingertips of every citizen.
Launched in March 2025 as a next-generation unified platform, BuildNow connects citizens, builders, and government officers through a single interface for facilitating building permissions, layout approvals, and industrial clearances.
The system leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) for "India's fastest drawing scrutiny," providing AI-powered guidance through complex regulations and incorporating "system guardrails" to resolve errors prior to submission.
Between April 2025 and December 2025, the system processed 35,449 building permissions, 4,252 occupancy certificates, and 869 open plot layouts.
"The unprecedented speed of this AI-powered scrutiny has set a national benchmark, completing the scrutiny of a 24 Lakh Sq. Ft. building with 66 floors in the HMDA jurisdiction in just 1 minute 31 seconds," it said.