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Known as a "no-nonsense" administrator with close ties to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Bhide was selected over several high-ranking contenders like Assem Gupta and Milind Mhaiskar due to her proven track record with mega-projects.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulated her
Mumbai,UPDATED: Mar 31, 2026 15:01 IST
Ashwini Bhide, a 1995-batch IAS officer, has been named the new Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), becoming the first woman to lead India’s richest civic body. She officially takes over from Bhushan Gagrani, whose term ends today, March 31.
Known as a "no-nonsense" administrator with close ties to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Bhide was selected over several high-ranking contenders like Assem Gupta and Milind Mhaiskar due to her proven track record with mega-projects. Most notably, she spearheaded Mumbai’s ambitious metro rail project – the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited – between 2015 and 2020.
Having previously served as a BMC Additional Commissioner, she brings a blend of technical expertise and administrative grit to the role. Her tenure, expected to run through 2030, is likely to focus on accelerating the city's critical infrastructure and streamlining urban governance.
BHIDE'S STELLAR CAREER
Bhide started her career in Kolhapur district, where she served as the assistant collector from 1997 to 1999. Next year, she was posted as the chief executive officer of Sindhudurg district, following which she was transferred to Nagpur district.
The 1995-batch officer served as the chief executive officer of the Nagpur Zilla Parishad between 2000 and 2003 and is credited for building 434 dams across 310 villages in order to bring 7,000 hectares of land under irrigation.
Between 2004 and 2008, she was appointed as deputy secretary to the Governor of Maharashtra before beginning her long association with Mumbai's urban development.
She was the Additional Metropolitan Commissioner of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, the apex development body of the Greater Mumbai Region, between 2008 and 2014.
Bhide also served as School Education and Sports Secretary and is credited for bringing the Systematic Administrative Reforms for Achieving Learning by Students (SARAL) database online.
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Published By:
Aprameya Rao
Published On:
Mar 31, 2026 15:01 IST
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