MC Commissioner Aulakh to join on Monday

Gulpreet Singh Aulakh who was posted as the Deputy Commissioner of Tarn Taran has been reappointed as Municipal Commissioner, Amritsar. He will join office on Monday. Aulakh had joined the MC office on September 24 but two days later, he was transferred to Tarn Taran. It is worth mentioning that during the last two and a half years of AAP regime, 11 municipal commissioners have been transferred till date, taking its toll on the day-to-day working of the civic body and development works being implemented. The General House of the Municipal Corporation (MC) was dissolved in January 2023 and there is no Mayor, no Municipal Commissioner, no Joint Commissioner and no Additional Commissioner at the civic body because of which work has been getting affected.

After the formation of the AAP government in state in March 2022, the then MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi was transferred from Amritsar on April 24, 2022 and the MC remained without a head for a long time. The state government then appointed Karnail Singh as Municipal Commissioner on May 23, 2022, but he did not take charge. After a month, on June 24, 2022, the government gave the additional charge of MC Commissioner to Harpreet Singh Sudan, then Deputy Commissioner. Later, on July 7, 2022, Sandeep Rishi was again appointed the MC Commissioner. Two days later, Sandeep Rishi was transferred and on July 10, 2022 Kumar Saurabh Raj took charge as the MC Commissioner. After four and a half months, Saurabh was transferred and Sandeep Rishi was once again appointed as the MC Commissioner on November 27, 2022. Rishi remained on the post for nine months and was transferred on August 10, 2023. Then Rahul was appointed as the MC Commissioner and transferred on December 5, 2023. The charge of MC Commissioner was given to Joint Commissioner Hardeep Singh and later to then Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori on December 5. Harpreet Singh was appointed as the MC Commissioner on January 29, 2024 and transferred on September 12, 2024. Harpreet was replaced by Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, who joined office on September 24, but was transferred two days later. The government then appointed Rahul Chabba as the MC Commissioner but he didn’t join. Now again, Aulakh has been appointed to lead the civic body.

The city residents feel that instability in command has added to their problems as they were facing hardships in getting their issues resolved. “The civic body is sans public representatives and an administrative head, taking its toll on day-to-day functioning and development works. I have written to the Chief Secretary, Punjab, to stop the practice. We meet every new officer and make him aware about the issues concerning the city. Whenever an officer understands the city, the government transfers him. This should be stopped,” said PS Bhatti, a social activist.