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)

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.

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.

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.