In a historic shift, the administrative reins of the Patiala Municipal Corporation have passed entirely into the hands of women officers.
From the Municipal Commissioner’s office to the Additional Commissioner and both Joint Commissioner posts, women now occupy every key chair in the civic body, creating what officials describe as an “all-women command centre” at the corporation headquarters. The latest addition to this unique line-up is senior PCS officer Pooja Syal Grewal, who took charge as Municipal Commissioner following Paramjit Singh’s transfer to Chandigarh.
Pooja Syal Grewal
Simarpreet Kaur
Manreet Rana
Sonam
Soon after assuming office, Grewal said people should not face hurdles in getting their works done and assured residents of prompt attention to public grievances.
Joining her is another senior PCS officer, Simarpreet Kaur, who has taken charge as Additional Commissioner, a post revived after a gap of 25 years.
Having previously served in various assignments across Patiala district, she is familiar with the city’s administrative landscape and civic challenges. Hailing from Kotkapura town in Faridkot district, she is married and settled in Patiala. The two Joint Commissioner positions are already held by two women officers — Manreet Rana (PCS) and Sonam (IAS) — completing an unprecedented all-women leadership team in the civic body. This development has sparked discussions in the administrative circles, with many describing it as a reflection of the growing role of women in public administration. The women officers are expected to steer key civic initiatives, including sanitation, infrastructure development, urban planning and redress of public grievances.
Interestingly, while women now dominate the administrative hierarchy, none of the top elected positions — Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor or Deputy Mayor — is currently held by a woman.
