22 March,2024 08:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Iqbal Chahal appointed as ACS to CMO, Pic/Satej Shinde
IAS officer Iqbal Chahal, the former BMC commissioner, was appointed as Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office on Friday. On Thursday, IAS officer Bhushan Gagrani took charge as the new BMC commissioner after Chahal was transferred following election commission's order.
Senior IAS officer Bhushan Gagrani served as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office before been transferred as BMC chief. Gagrani will also be the city's Administrator.
Chahal, a 1989-batch IAS officer who was the chief of Asia's richest civic body, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation for four years. He was also the Administrator of Mumbai city since March 2022 as the tenure of the elected representatives ended and fresh civic elections are delayed. He also headed the city during COVID-19 pandemic and now has succeeded Gagrani as ACS in the Chief Minister's Office.
IAS officer, P. Velrasu who was transferred from the post of additional municipal commissioner, Mumbai, on Friday was posted as Secretary for Social Justice and Special Assistance Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai.
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The Election Commission of India (ECI), soon after announcing the Lok Sabha poll schedule on March 16, had asked the state government to transfer municipal commissioners who have served at a position more than three years. Accordingly, Chahal, then BMC commissioner and two additional commissioners, P. Velrasu and Ashwini Bhide were removed from their positions.
Bhide will continue her full time posting as MD, MMRCL.
Meanwhile, Bhushan Gagrani soon after taking charge as BMC chief on Thursday, reviewed of all monsoon-related work, including storm water drains, roads-potholes etc. Gagrani also took a review of cement concrete road works and expressway works that are going on at various places in Mumbai.
"The ongoing road works should be completed on time. The system should be kept ready to provide relief to the traffic by using the latest technology to fill potholes," Gagrani said. The commissioner also directed that to avoid loss of lives due to the collapse of dangerous buildings during monsoons, the concerned buildings should be evacuated as per the prescribed procedure and the number of surveillance towers should be increased in the Juhu Chowpatty area.
