Dr Chaudhari: redefining urban governance

 

 

 

 

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” For a young Abhijeet, a participant in an elocution contest in school, the answer came naturally. Brought up in a family that comprised of doctors, it was but natural for him to respond with how he’d love to be a part of the medical fraternity. After he had said his piece, a teacher commented, “Why a Doctor. You should become a Collector.” This planted a seed that would quietly, later, alter the very course of his life.

 

Even though he went onto graduate from the prestigious KEM College and earn his MBBS degree, he consciously chose not to pursue a post-graduation that would add more credentials to his MBBS degree. Instead, driven by a larger calling, he started preparing for Civil Services. In his first attempt, he was inducted in the IPS, but his sights were set firmly on the IAS - a goal he achieved in his second attempt. And at The Hitavada’s The People’s Mic, we have as our guest, Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari , the dynamic Municipal Commissioner and Administrator of Nagpur Municipal Corporation, who in a conversation with Dheeraj Fartode, Chief Reporter The Hitavada reflects on his journey and outlines his vision for the city he now steers. For the past two and a half years that he has been in Nagpur overseeing the works as head of NMC, Dr Chaudhari has ushered in many positive changes and forward-looking reforms, thus strengthening the system. “Nagpur has inherent strengths,” he observes, “The city has excellent road network, the water supply system is robust, and in several aspects the Orange City fares better than many other cities in the same category.”

 

He has a clear vision about the work that he wants to do. Ambitious, yet grounded, he wants to transform Nagpur into a global, smart city with world- class infrastructure. “Nagpur, in the coming days, will emerge as the growth hub of Central India, offering seamless services and an enhanced quality of life to its citizens,” he asserts. Quality of life, for Dr Chaudhari, is a holistic concept. The focus is on improving healthcare, education, green spaces, air quality, and digital governance, all of which fall within NMC’s radar. Prioritising ease and transparency in all departments, introducing online civic services, is proof that this visionary young officer is on the right track. Acknowledging the advantages of having strong political leadership rooted in the city, Dr Chaudhari states, “With Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari from the city, the institutional support has been unwavering.

 

There is no dearth of funds, execution of numerous projects has been smooth, and whenever challenges arise, the guidance of the senior leaders proves invaluable.” The most persistent civic challenge, however, is the one about footpaths. With encroachments rampant on the streets, keeping the streets free for pedestrians is a problem that has been dogging the department. “Keeping streets free from encroachments and pedestrian-friendly is a constant struggle,” he admits, and adds, that even as the NMC takes action against encroachers, “We have to also be sensitive to the livelihoods involved.” The complex issue requires coordinated efforts, and Dr Chaudhari apprises that the NMC works closely with the Police Department as it is not feasible for NMC alone to monitor the streets continuously. “Recently police marshals are being deployed in sensitive areas where this problem is recurrent, and we hope the outcome from all of this are streets fit for pedestrians,” he states. Agreeing that this is a never-ending battle, Dr Chaudhari shares that the NMC’s Anti-Encroachment Department, has been significantly strengthened. “But a lot still needs to be done,” he comments. As the conversation moves towards last - mile connectivity, Dr Chaudhari points out that public transport in the city is still underutilised. Working closely with Maha Metro to improve integration and efficiency is on the cards.

 

The introduction of e-buses, e rickshaws and initiatives like the ChaloApp that are designed to help commuters navigate the city effortlessly from point A to point B are steps towards the NMC’s commitment to help improve the mobility in the city. With a rare blend of modern vision and administrative acumen, Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari represents a new generation of civil servants - professionals who combine vision with execution. As Nagpur charts its course towards becoming a smart, sustainable, and citizen-friendly metropolis, the city’s transformation is clearly being guided by a leader who believes that governance, much like medicine, is ultimately about improving lives - one system at a time. Watch him share his vision on TheHitavada’s YouTube channel @TheHitavada1911.