CM Uddhav Thackeray removes Ashwini Bhide as MMRC chief

Ashwini Bhide was not given any new charge till late Tuesday

In yet another major bureaucratic reshuffle, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has removed Ashwini Bhide from the position of the head of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) which is constructing the underground Metro 3. Bhide's tenure was vividly marked by a tussle with Shiv Sena leaders who opposed the Metro car shed inside Aarey.

Ranjit Singh Deol, who steered the state transport corporation, has replaced Bhide, who was not given any new charge till late Tuesday evening.

20 IAS officials transferred
Among 20 IAS officials transferred, is Tukaram Mundhe, a no-nonsense officer who has been sent to Nagpur to head a BJP-controlled civic body. Mundhe is known for his run-ins with politicians, who in turn demand his transfer. He has had many short stints and is expected to create ripples in Nagpur as well.

Another BJP government appointee, Prajkta Verma, commissioner, excise, was posted as secretary, Marathi Bhasha Department. S N Gaikwad, commissioner, sugar, Pune, has been posted as municipal commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation. He is Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's pick.

Parrag Jaiin-Nainuttia, chairman and managing director, M S Electric Transmission Company, Mumbai, has been posted as secretary, social justice and special assistance department. He has replaced Dinesh Waghmare who went to the transmission company.

Among the other transfers are Arvind Kumar, managing director, MPCL, Mumbai, who has been posted as additional chief secretary (RDD and Water Conservation), rural development and water conservation department; R R Jadhav, commissioner, fisheries, has been posted as secretary, deputy chief minister office, Mantralaya; S R Jondhale, collector, Mumbai City, has been posted as secretary (SDC) and SEO (2), GAD, Mantralaya; K B Umap, director general, MEDA, Pune, has been posted as commissioner, State Excise, Mumbai; Sampada Mehta, has been posted as joint commissioner, Sales Tax, Mumbai; R D Nivatkar, joint secretary, Chief Secretary Office, GAD, Mantralaya, has been posted as Collector, Mumbai City, Mumbai and Kiran Patil,(Mantralaya Cadre), deputy secretary, agriculture and ADF Department, Mantralaya, has been posted as deputy secretary, chief secretary office, GAD, Mantralaya.

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