Ashwini Bhide

This article is about the IAS officer. For the Hindustani classical musician, see Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande.
Ashwini Bhide
Additional Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)
In office
8 May 2020 – present
Managing Director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation
In office
5 January 2015[1] – 22 January 2020
Succeeded byRanjit Singh Deol
Secretary School Education and Sports, Government of Maharashtra
In office
February 2014 – January 2015
Additional Metropolitan Commissioner of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority
In office
September 2008 – February 2014
Personal details
Born (1970-05-25) 25 May 1970 (age 54)[2]
Sangli, Maharashtra, India
Nationality Indian

Ashwini Bhide is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, predominantly known for her work on the Aqua Line or popularly known as Line 3 of the Mumbai Metro. She served as Managing Director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRCL), which is a joint venture of the Government of India and Government of Maharashtra since its inception, i.e. 2015 until 2020.[3][4]

In January 2020, she along with 20 others IAS officers from Maharashtra state were transferred by the newly formed coalition government led by Uddhav Thackeray.[5] Prior to the new government coming in force, Aaditya Thackeray, whose party Shiv Sena was a member of the earlier Devendra Fadnavis-led government in the state, had demanded the transfer of Bhide citing differences in interest on construction of metro car shed at Aarey Milk Colony.[6]

Ashwini Bhide was named 'Woman Leader of the Year - Governance' at the ETPrime Women Leadership Awards in 2023.[7]

Career

Bhide started her career as the assistant collector of the Kolhapur district from 1997 to 1999. Following this, she was posted as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Sindhudurg district from 1999 to 2000 following which she was transferred to the Nagpur district.[2]

Bhide was appointed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Nagpur Zilla Parishad between 2000 and 2003 where she built 434 dams across 310 villages at a cost of ₹300,000 to bring 7,000 hectares of land under irrigation.[8] Between 2004 and 2008, she was appointed as deputy secretary to the Governor of Maharashtra following which she was appointed as Additional Metropolitan Commissioner at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).[9] She also served as School Education and Sports Secretary and was instrumental in bringing the Systematic Administrative Reforms for Achieving Learning by Students (SARAL) database online.[10]

During her tenure at the MMRDA, she was seen as the driving force for several big ticket projects including the Eastern Freeway,[11] Sahar Elevated Access Road,[12]  Mithi river cleanup which involved rehabilitation of over 4000 affected projected affected people,[13] the Mumbai Monorail[14] and the first line[15] of the Mumbai Metro.[16][9] Her work in the rehabilitation of 5,000 people across the city for various infrastructure projects has been considered a case study.[17]

In March 2020, Bhide, who was till then not assigned a role post her exit from the MMRC, was deputed to the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) taskforce as an Additional Municipal Commissioner to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Maharashtra.[18] Bhide has been tasked with overseeing the Corporation's contact tracing efforts as well as to monitor the control room and provide assistance to hospitals.[19]

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation

Bhide was appointed as the managing director of MMRC in 2015.

References

  1. ^ "Mumbai Metro MD Ashwini Bhide who took on Thackerays out | Mumbai News - Times of India". The Times of India. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Biodata of Ms Ashwini Satish Bhide". Single User platform Related To Employees Online (SUPREMO). Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  3. ^ Haima Deshpande (22 January 2020). "Fearless, efficient IAS officer Ashwini Bhide moved out of Mumbai Metro in 'routine' change". ThePrint. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  4. ^ Sanjay Jog (4 April 2015). "Mumbai Metro III work will start by 2016: Ashwini Bhide". Business Standard India. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Mumbai Metro chief Ashwini Bhide among 20 IAS officers transferred in Maharashtra". Hindustan Times. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Aarey Metro row: Aditya Thackeray demands MMRCL MD Ashwini Bhide's transfer, claims corporation is against Mumbai citizens". Firstpost. Press Trust of India. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  7. ^ "ETPrime Women Leadership Awards 2023". The Economic Times.
  8. ^ Radhika, V (25 August 2002). "They inspired villagers to harvest water". The Sunday Tribune. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  9. ^ a b Sheikh, Zeeshan; Ashar, Sandeep (26 January 2020). "Ashwini Bhide: The woman at the wheel". The Indian Express. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Soon, get school, student info from online SARAL database | Kolhapur News - Times of India". The Times of India. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Rs 847-cr eastern freeway road project in Mumbai to be ready by December". Hindu Business. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  12. ^ Ateeq Shaikh (6 February 2014). "Opening of Sahar elevated road to Terminal 2 likely on February 11". DNA India. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  13. ^ Chittaranjan Tembhekar (30 May 2013). "Mithi will not flood: Maharashtra chief secretary | Mumbai News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  14. ^ Rahul Wadke (28 January 2014). "Mumbai monorail first phase to be ready soon". Hindu Business. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  15. ^ "MMRDA offers tenements to Sarvodaya Staff Quarter residents at Govandi". India Infoline. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  16. ^ Ashraf, Syed Firdaus (10 November 2015). "The woman who will change the face of Mumbai". Rediff. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  17. ^ Pate, Neil (28 July 2018). "DNA Mumbai Anniversary: Meet IAS officer Ashwini Bhide who has shattered many glass ceiling with her intellect". DNA India. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  18. ^ "IAS officers 'on waiting' now part of Covid-19 task force". Hindustan Times. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Mumbai: CM ropes in 3 senior IAS officers for BMC's covid-19 preparedness - ET Government". Economic Times. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.