Pradeep Dahiya given dual charge as GMDA CEO and MCG chief to speed up projects
Haryana terms the dual posting a makeshift step to fix delays, boost coordination and push stalled Gurugram works, with Dahiya vowing strict, performance-led oversight.
The Haryana government has appointed Gurugram Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), with the order issued on Tuesday.
Dahiya will continue as municipal commissioner, marking the second instance in recent years where both key civic bodies are headed by the same official. (HT Photo)
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Dahiya will continue as municipal commissioner, marking the second instance in recent years where both key civic bodies are headed by the same official. In April 2023, senior IAS officer PC Meena had similarly held dual charge to streamline coordination between GMDA and MCG.
Officials described the latest dual appointment as a “makeshift arrangement” until further orders, citing the urgent need to accelerate delayed infrastructure work and improve inter-agency functioning. Several projects under both GMDA and MCG, such as road upgrades, drainage improvements and local civic works, are lagging behind schedule, they said.
With Dahiya overseeing both agencies, the government expects faster decision-making, reduced administrative friction, and stronger accountability, civic officials said. He has been asked to review all slow-moving projects, enforce performance-based monitoring and plug long-standing coordination gaps, they added.
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Speaking to HT, Dahiya said he would follow a “strict, results-driven administrative style.” “I have zero tolerance for indiscipline. I work hard, and everyone will have to work hard,” he said, adding that recommendations or “shifarish” would have no role during his tenure. His priorities include pushing stalled projects, strengthening on-ground execution and ensuring that responsibility is tied solely to performance.
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Speaking to HT, Dahiya said he would follow a “strict, results-driven administrative style.” “I have zero tolerance for indiscipline. I work hard, and everyone will have to work hard,” he said, adding that recommendations or “shifarish” would have no role during his tenure. His priorities include pushing stalled projects, strengthening on-ground execution and ensuring that responsibility is tied solely to performance.
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Senior officials believe temporary unified leadership may ease recurring hurdles in project approvals, land transfers, utility coordination and contractor oversight. Dahiya is expected to conduct joint review meetings and introduce integrated planning mechanisms to speed up Gurugram’s civic and infrastructure development, officials said.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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