BMC Appoints New Ward Officers for Goregaon and Borivali After 2-Year Delay — Only Two Wards Still Vacant

Mumbai: After a prolonged delay of nearly two years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally filled two more long-vacant ward officer positions, marking a significant step toward restoring full administrative capacity in Mumbai’s local governance.

According to a circular issued on Monday, Aniruddha Kulkarni has been appointed as the new ward officer for P/South Ward (Goregaon), while Praful Tambe will now oversee the R/Central Ward (Borivali). Both appointments were made following recommendations by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC).

A senior civic official confirmed that with these appointments, only two administrative wards remain without permanent ward officers. The latest move follows earlier appointments made on October 3, when the BMC inducted full-time ward officers in B (Dongri), C (Marine Lines), F/South (Parel), and R/South (Kandivali) wards.

The recruitment process for these 14 crucial positions was first announced in June 2021, but faced multiple legal hurdles. Petitions filed by disqualified candidates delayed the final appointments, despite the Supreme Court later granting permission to proceed with the shortlisted candidates. The MPSC finally issued appointment letters in November 2024, followed by training sessions completed last month.

During the long vacancy period, senior executive engineers were placed in charge of ward administration. However, their lack of formal administrative training led to concerns over governance lapses, slower response to civic issues, and reduced accountability in several zones.