Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
City Engineer A B Deshmukh, who retired from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC), was granted an extension three times, each for six months. After his tenure ended, he was assigned the responsibility of overseeing the new water supply scheme and drainage projects. With the position of city engineer now vacant, there is considerable speculation regarding who will fill this critical post, with talks about searching for a retired officer to take on the role.
The city engineer is technically the second most important position in the CSMC after the administrator. Various development projects require final approval from the city engineer before they move forward to the administrator. After the COVID-19 pandemic, City Engineer S D Panzade retired, and he was granted three six-month extensions. Following his retirement, Executive Engineer A B Deshmukh was appointed to the position of City Engineer. After serving for 18 months, he too received a six-month extension. His extension ended on April 2, and the administration has now appointed him as a special officer on duty (OSD) for the new water supply scheme and the Rs 800 crore drainage project.
With the position of City Engineer now vacant, there is little likelihood that someone from within the municipal corporation will fill the role. The position requires at least five years of experience as an Executive Engineer, which no one within the corporation currently possesses. There is also speculation that a retired officer might be appointed to the post on a contractual basis. Discussions in this regard are reportedly underway, with local political figures expressing support for this option.