On Tuesday, Ashwini Bhide was transferred by Maharashtra government amid the ongoing controversy over the metro car shed here for Mumbai Metro 3.
The transfer raised several eyebrows, as last year Aaditya Thackeray, Maharashtra Tourism and Environment minister, had sought Bhide’s transfer for ordering felling of trees at the Aarey colony, famous as the ‘lungs of the city’.
Aaditya had also questioned the stand taken by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (MMRCL) that there can’t be metro for the city if the land was not made available in the forested Aarey Colony. Then BJP-led Maharashtra government’s plan to cut about 2,700 trees in Aarey Colony in north Mumbai for car shed of the metro has had green activists and citizens’ groups up in the arms.
The 33.5-km underground metro project connecting various parts of Mumbai through the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route had faced numerous hurdles at various stages. Bhide’s days were numbered following the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress came to power. After the Maha Vikas Aghadi government took over, the chief minister had ordered a stay on the construction of the car shed in Aarey Colony. He constituted a four-member committee to look into an alternative site for the car shed.
Bhide will be replaced by Ranjit Singh Deol who is currently serving as the vice-chairman and MD of Maharashtra state road transport corporation. The reshuffle comes just a week after the Maharashtra government transferred 22 IAS officers. Last week, Bhide was elevated to the post of principal secretary. However, during the reshuffle, she has not been given any other charge.