{{Short description|Former Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Iqbal Singh Chahal | honorific_suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Shri_Iqbal_Singh_Chahal.jpg | caption = | monuments = | education = Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (B.E. ECE) | alma_mater = | occupation = Retired IAS officer | years_active = | employer = | organization = Government of Maharashtra, India | agent = | known_for = | notable_works = COVID-19 Management in Mumbai | style = | boards = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1966|01|20}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil List of IAS Officers |url=https://dtf.in/wp-content/files/Civil_List_of_IAS_Officers_-_Appendix_A_-_Combined_Gradation_List_of_IAS_Officers_appointed_on_the_result_of_annual_competitive_Exam._As_on_01.01.2014-civillist.ias.nic.in.htm |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=dtf.in}}</ref> }}
'''Iqbal Singh Chahal''' (born 20 January 1966) is a retired 1989 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Executive record sheet |url=https://supremo.nic.in/ERSheetHtml.aspx?OffIDErhtml=15092&PageId= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510143839/https://supremo.nic.in/ERSheetHtml.aspx?OffIDErhtml=15092&PageId= |archive-date=2021-05-10 |website=Supremo - Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mumbai: Iqbal Singh Chahal completes a year as BMC chief |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-iqbal-singh-chahal-completes-a-year-as-bmc-chief |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122130525/https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-iqbal-singh-chahal-completes-a-year-as-bmc-chief |archive-date=2022-11-22 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Free Press Journal |language=en}}</ref> A native of VPO 12-Z village of Sri Ganganagar , Rajasthan ; he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) in Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala in 1987, before joining the IAS in 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-09 |title=Thapar institute confers honorary degree on Mumbai MC chief for Covid management |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ludhiana/covid-management-bmc-chief-honorary-degree-thapar-institute-7613786/ |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
He is the former Municipal Commissioner and Administrator of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-07 |title=BMC chief: If someone laughs at us, how do I share Mumbai model |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/coornavirus-bmc-chief-if-someone-laughs-at-us-how-do-i-share-mumbai-model-7305013/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507022040/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/coornavirus-bmc-chief-if-someone-laughs-at-us-how-do-i-share-mumbai-model-7305013/ |archive-date=2021-05-07 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=RAJAGOPAL |first=DIVYA |date=2020-05-12 |title=New BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal must find a fix that can go viral |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/covid-outbreak-new-bmc-chief-iqbal-singh-chahal-must-find-a-fix-that-can-go-viral/articleshow/75668305.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122131205/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/covid-outbreak-new-bmc-chief-iqbal-singh-chahal-must-find-a-fix-that-can-go-viral/articleshow/75668305.cms?from=mdr |archive-date=2022-11-22 |access-date=2024-01-11 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Scroll Staff |date=2021-05-06 |title=Covid: Mumbai to get new drive-in vaccination centres in every zone within 24 hours, says civic body |url=https://scroll.in/latest/994276/covid-mumbai-to-get-new-drive-in-vaccination-centres-in-every-zone-within-24-hours-says-civic-body |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720205429/https://scroll.in/latest/994276/covid-mumbai-to-get-new-drive-in-vaccination-centres-in-every-zone-within-24-hours-says-civic-body |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref> and is former Additional Chief Secretary in the Maharashtra Chief Minister's office.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-03-23 |title=Chahal appointed as additional chief secretary in CMO |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/chahal-appointed-as-additional-chief-secretary-in-cmo/articleshow/108719092.cms |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> Prior to this, Chahal has served Government of Maharashtra and India in various capacities. In 2021, he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) honorary doctorate by his alma mater, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), during a special convocation at its Patiala campus for his role in handling the Covid-19 crisis in Mumbai. In his initial career he was collector of Thane and Chatrapati Sambhajinagar districts,<ref name=":0" /> later on he was Joint Secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Women & Child Development and Ministry of Panchayati Raj.<ref name=":0" /> Following that he was also Principal Secretary in Water Resources Department and Urban Development Department of Maharashtra. Post retirement, he served as Chairman of the Mumbai Police Housing Township Project for a period of five years.<ref name=":0" />
==Work== Chahal is widely given the credit for keeping COVID-19 under check in Mumbai.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rawat |first=Shivani |date=2021-05-01 |title=Off The Cuff with Iqbal Singh Chahal |url=https://theprint.in/off-the-cuff/off-the-cuff-with-iqbal-singh-chahal/649957/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603202923/https://theprint.in/off-the-cuff/off-the-cuff-with-iqbal-singh-chahal/649957/ |archive-date=2023-06-03 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=COVID-19 in Mumbai: Have grip over mortality rate, says BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/covid-19-in-mumbai-have-grip-over-mortality-rate-says-bmc-chief-iqbal-singh-chahal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122130531/https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/covid-19-in-mumbai-have-grip-over-mortality-rate-says-bmc-chief-iqbal-singh-chahal |archive-date=2022-11-22 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Free Press Journal |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |last3= |first3= |title=New guidelines soon, says Aaditya Thackeray after discusses crowding at vaccination centres with BMC chief |url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/coronavirus/news/new-guidelines-soon-says-aaditya-thackeray-after-discusses-crowding-at-vaccination-centre-with-bmc-chief-iqbal-singh-chahal/articleshow/82427844.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727090618/https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/coronavirus/news/new-guidelines-soon-says-aaditya-thackeray-after-discusses-crowding-at-vaccination-centre-with-bmc-chief-iqbal-singh-chahal/articleshow/82427844.cms |archive-date=2023-07-27 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Mumbai Mirror |language=en}}</ref> Supreme Court of India and High Court of Bombay also lauded Chahal for his Mumbai Model.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joshi |first=Neha |date=2021-05-07 |title=Follow BMC as model to manage COVID-19 pandemic: Bombay High Court to other municipal corporations in State |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/follow-bmc-as-model-to-manage-covid-19-pandemic-bombay-high-court |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240111155724/https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/follow-bmc-as-model-to-manage-covid-19-pandemic-bombay-high-court |archive-date=2024-01-11 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shantanu |first=Shashank |last2= |first2= |date=2021-05-05 |title=Learn from Mumbai: Supreme Court lauds BMC's oxygen management, asks Delhi, Centre to take note |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/supreme-court-lauds-bmc-s-oxygen-management-asks-delhi-centre-to-learn-from-mumbai-latest-updates-702736 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505192422/https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/supreme-court-lauds-bmc-s-oxygen-management-asks-delhi-centre-to-learn-from-mumbai-latest-updates-702736 |archive-date=2021-05-05 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.indiatvnews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Supreme Court lauds 'Mumbai model' of Covid management, asks Delhi, Centre to take note |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/supreme-court-lauds-mumbai-model-of-covid-management-asks-delhi-centre-to-take-note-1799288-2021-05-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505190542/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/supreme-court-lauds-mumbai-model-of-covid-management-asks-delhi-centre-to-take-note-1799288-2021-05-05 |archive-date=2021-05-05 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chakrabarti |first=Angana |date=2021-04-30 |title=Inside a Mumbai Covid war room: 16 staff, phones that ring every minute, 'eat when you can' |url=https://theprint.in/health/inside-a-mumbai-covid-war-room-16-staff-phones-that-ring-every-minute-eat-when-you-can/648182/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330010757/https://theprint.in/health/inside-a-mumbai-covid-war-room-16-staff-phones-that-ring-every-minute-eat-when-you-can/648182/ |archive-date=2023-03-30 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>
He added thousands of beds through new field hospitals, and private facilities handed over their COVID-19 wards to the government with 800 vehicles being turned into ambulances. A proactive approach was used to focus on 55 slums including, Dharavi, where a strict lock-down was accompanied by aggressive sanitation of public toilets, mass coronavirus screening and a huge volunteer effort to ensure that nobody went hungry. All positive test reports in Mumbai were routed through "war rooms".<ref>{{Cite web|last=AFP|title=Covid-19: How India's most crowded city beat the virus|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/coronavirus-pandemic/covid-19-how-indias-most-crowded-city-beat-the-virus|access-date=2021-06-16|website=Khaleej Times|language=en}}</ref>
He received Newsmakers Achievers Awards in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=26.08.2021: Governor presented the 13th Afternoon Newsmakers' Achievers Awards at Raj Bhavan {{!}} Raj Bhavan Maharashtra {{!}} India |url=https://rajbhavan-maharashtra.gov.in/en/26-08-2021-governor-presented-the-13th-afternoon-newsmakers-achievers-awards-at-raj-bhavan/ |website=Rajbhavan}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chahal, Iqbal Singh}} Category:Living people Category:Mumbai civic officials Category:Indian Administrative Service officers Category:1966 births