Pune: PMRDA Gets New Chief as Yogesh Mhase Transferred to Minority Development Department
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 4th March 2026: The Maharashtra government has transferred Dr. Yogesh Mhase (IAS: SCS: 2009) from his post as Metropolitan Commissioner and CEO of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). He has been appointed Secretary, Minority Development Department, at Mantralaya in Mumbai.
The transfer order, issued on March 4 by the General Administration Department, names Dr. Abhijeet Chaudhari (IAS: RR: 2011), currently serving as Municipal Commissioner of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, as the new Metropolitan Commissioner of PMRDA.
Dr. Mhase took charge of PMRDA in late June 2024, succeeding Rahul Mahiwal. During his nearly 20-month tenure, he was known for his hands-on and firm administrative approach, with a focus on accelerating stalled infrastructure projects, improving transparency, and promoting sustainable urban growth across the Pune Metropolitan Region, which includes Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad and adjoining areas.
Among the key initiatives during his tenure were expediting land acquisition for the Pune Ring Road and other major arterial projects aimed at easing traffic congestion; fast-tracking incomplete road works in key locations such as Hinjawadi and Chakan, including resolving encroachments and land disputes; and advancing sewage management projects for 27 villages under PMRDA’s jurisdiction through a cluster-based model.
He also oversaw the preparation of a comprehensive Pune Metropolitan Economic Plan aligned with the long-term development vision of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Maharashtra, with a focus on global capability centres, tourism, manufacturing and green energy sectors. Administrative reforms under his leadership included decentralisation of the building permission process, introduction of fixed public interaction days, and improvements to the PMRDA website to enhance citizen access to information. Anti-encroachment drives and climate-resilient urban planning were also prioritised.
Dr. Chaudhari, a 2011-batch IAS officer with an MBBS degree, brings experience in urban governance from his tenure in Nagpur, where he worked on civic administration and infrastructure improvements.
