The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Asia’s largest and richest civic body, is likely to get its next chief on Monday as the incumbent Commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani (IAS:1994:MH), is retiring on March 31 and is unlikely to get an extension.
According to reliable sources, there are three senior-most IAS officers, Ashwini Bhide (IAS:1995:MH), Aseem Gupta (IAS:1994:MH), and Sanjay Mukherjee (IAS:1996:MH), who are vying for this coveted post. All these three, Bhide, Gupta, and Mukherjee, had earlier served in the BMC as additional municipal commissioners.
Bhide is said to be leading the race. She is currently posted as ACS in the CM’s Office (CMO) and is also MMRCL’s Managing Director. She has led major infrastructure projects, like Metro line 3. As additional municipal commissioner, she played a crucial role in executing the Coastal Road project.
Mukherjee, known as ‘infrastructure man,’ is currently MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner. He is credited with having led key projects like Atal Setu, metro lines, several flyovers and bridges in MMR, and BMC projects, including critical water supply works, as additional municipal commissioner.
The importance of this post is highlighted by media reports of differences between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde over who will be the next MBC chief. While CM Fadnavis has been batting for IAS officer Ashwini Bhide, Shinde is backing Asim Gupta.
The main reason behind Gupta’s closeness with Shinde is said to be that he comes from Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s home place and is currently posted as ACS to him, holding the charge of the Urban Development and Housing departments. Plus, he was earlier posted as the Thane Municipal Commissioner as well.
If Bhide is appointed as BMC chief, as the CM has to take a final call on it, she would become the first woman BMC Commissioner besides being able to get a full three-year term before her retirement in 2030.
It is often said that every IAS officer in the Maharashtra cadre aspires to become either the Chief Secretary of the state or Commissioner of the BMC, just as every IPS officer wants to be the DGP of the state or the Mumbai Police Commissioner.
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