GHMC pulls up Annapurna, Ramanaidu Studios over trade licence discrepancies

Two of Hyderabad’s most storied film studios, Annapurna Studios and Ramanaidu Studios, are under civic scrutiny after the GHMC flagged major discrepancies in their declared business areas and annual trade licence feesWhat happened?The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) issued notices on Friday to Annapurna Studios (run by the Akkineni family) and Ramanaidu Studios/Suresh Productions (run by the Daggubati family) for allegedly paying only a fraction of their mandated annual trade licence fees. Inspections by Circle-18 officials and a verification of property tax records revealed that the plinth areas declared by both studios were far smaller than their actual operational areas.What are the allegations?Significant underreporting of the business area: Annapurna Studios had declared just 8,172 sq ft, while GHMC determined the operational areato be 1,92,066 sq ftPaid: ₹49,000 per yearPayable: ₹11.52 lakhRamanaidu Studios declared 1,903 sq ft, though officials assessed the area at 68,276 sq ft.Paid: ₹7,614 per yearPayable: ₹2.73 lakhOfficials allege that the underreported area led to a substantial shortfall in licence fees over several years, resulting in revenue loss to the corporation.What is GHMC seeking?The civic body has:What’s next?Authorities say the next steps, including any potential penalties, will be decided after reviewing the studios’ responses. Both studios are expected to submit their explanations in the coming days, after which GHMC will determine further action based on the clarity and compliance shown.