How to change flat ownership in GHMC records

It's been close to a year since we bought a new flat in Hyderabad. It has been one hell of a learning exercise for the sheer amount of paper work and procedures it involved before, during or after the purchase. Buying a house in Hyderabad has been an exciting and taxing journey, so far. All through this journey, I had a desire to document my experiences so that it would help others who wished to be helped. But luck, laziness and life kept me away from this. However, I'll at least start now with an account of what needs to be done to change the ownership records in GHMC [Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation].

The first time it struck me that I need to do this is when I received a property tax notice addressed to the previous owner of the flat (we made a second hand purchase). All along I thought once I had registered with the land records department, the government would take care of updating all other records. I was so wrong! So, I rushed to the nearest Municipal Citizen Service Center (CSC). I asked them if I should pay the property tax first or change the name. They advised me to pay the tax first as I would need the receipt for having my name updated. 

Paying property tax in Hyderabad is pretty easy. I just made a Demand Draft payable to 'Commissioner GHMC' and deposited it at the CSC along with the property tax receipt. That's it.

Now comes the difficult part. I need to update GHMC records to tell them that I am the owner of this flat; the process is called 'mutation'. For this, one needs -

1. Latest Property tax notice - you got it
2. Receipt of payment of the latest property tax - ditto
3. Notarized copies of sale and link documents - if you are smart, you would have taken copies immediately after registration. If you are me, you would have to pay the bank to get the copies out. A notary will sign them as 'true copy' for a fee. They charged me Rs.750
4. Encumbrance certificate - you should get it in 2/3 days at a MeeSeva centre. Charges Rs.250
5. Indemnity bond - the notary will do this for you.
6. The market value certificate - if your property registration is more than 3 months old, then you need to go back to land registration office (where you registered the sale deed) and get your property revalued. They will issue a certificate. Official charges Rs.10 :-)\
7. A demand draft with a nominal fee for mutation.

None of the above is too difficult to do. So don't get an agent. He will simply make it look difficult!

Gather all of this and submit at the GHMC CSC. They send you an SMS with reference number once your documents are accepted. Then you will get an SMS update once the mutation certificate is ready. You're done!