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After spate of bus accidents, Anil Diggikar transferred as BEST GM

Dec 25, 2024 09:02 AM IST

Principal secretary of industries Dr Harshdeep Kamble, a 1997 batch IAS officer, has been named as his replacement

Mumbai: The state government has transferred Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) general manager Anil Diggikar as additional chief secretary of the disabled persons’ welfare department. Principal secretary of industries Dr Harshdeep Kamble, a 1997 batch IAS officer, has been named as his replacement.

A BEST bus collided with several vehicles in the Kurla area of Mumbai on December 9. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo)(Hindustan Times)
A BEST bus collided with several vehicles in the Kurla area of Mumbai on December 9. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo)(Hindustan Times)

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wants BEST to be streamlined and services to be improved before the civic body polls scheduled in early 2025. The decision to remove Diggikar, a 1990 batch IAS officer, was taken in the wake of a spate of recent accidents involving BEST buses. Among notable examples, on December 9, a BEST bus rammed into at least 40 vehicles, killed nine persons and injured over 40 others in Kurla after the driver lost control of the vehicle. Diggikar, who was criticised for not visiting the spot, was not available on the night of the accident even as chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was taking updates from top police and civic officers, said sources in the chief minister’s office.

On December 11, a pedestrian was killed after being hit by a BEST bus at CST. Thereafter, a BEST bus knocked down some two-wheelers in Goregaon while on December 15, a biker was knocked down by a BEST bus in Govandi.

“I have just received the order and will have a meeting with concerned officers after I take over,” said Kamble, who was earlier municipal commissioner of Malegaon and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Diggikar did not respond to calls from HT.

Meanwhile, P Anbalgan, chairman and managing director, MAHAGENCO, Mumbai has been posted as secretary (industries), while Dr B Radhakrishnan, who worked as joint secretary in Eknath Shinde’s secretariat, has been named as his replacement. Sanjay Daine, collector of Gadchiroli, has been posted as commissioner, textile, Nagpur, while Avishyant Panda has been posted as collector of Gadchiroli. Wardha collector Rahul Kardile has been appointed municipal commissioner of Nashik, while sales tax joint commissioner C Vanmathi has been named as his replacement.

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