First woman to head the country’s richest civic body; Ashwini Bhide expected to replace present Bhushan Gagrani
Mumbai: Senior IAS officer Ashwini Bhide has emerged as the frontrunner to take over as the Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), first woman to head the country’s richest civic body. The official appointment order is yet to be issued. If appointed, Bhide will be the 32nd Municipal Commissioner since Independence and the first woman to head the civic body. She is expected to replace incumbent Bhushan Gagrani.
A 1995-batch IAS officer, Bhide is currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office. Over the years, she has built a reputation as a firm and hands-on administrator, particularly in the infrastructure sector. Her association with Mumbai’s urban development dates back to 2008, when she was appointed Joint Metropolitan Commissioner at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
Howeve, her tenure at MMRCL was also marked by controversy. Bhide became the public face of the contentious Aarey car shed project, strongly defending the decision to cut over 2,000 trees for the metro depot. She actively engaged through media and social platforms to justify the project, which brought her into conflict with environmental activists and the undivided Shiv Sena especially Aaditya Thackeray who had led the opposition to the ca shed. While supporters saw her as decisive and committed to timelines, critics accused her of being rigid and unwilling to engage with opposing views.
