Mumbai: BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide receives Rotary award

BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide received the Pravinchandra V. Gandhi Award for Excellence in Public Life at the Rotary Club of Bombay’s weekly meeting on October 27.

The club said it recognised Bhide’s 31-year IAS career and her work in public administration, infrastructure and civic services. Bhide, a 1995-batch IAS officer, is the first woman municipal commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Her Mumbai roles have included two stints as managing director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, where she was associated with Metro Line 3, the 33.5-km underground route linking Colaba, Bandra and SEEPZ. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she served as additional municipal commissioner and worked with the city’s Covid war room.

Bhide also served as additional metropolitan commissioner at MMRDA from 2008 to 2014. The club cited her work on the Eastern Freeway, Sahar Elevated Access Road, Metro Line 1, the Mumbai Monorail and the Mithi River clean-up. Rotary Club of Bombay president Manish Reshamwala and club members attended the ceremony.