Mumbai: In a significant shift from past practices, the Maharashtra government has appointed IAS Sanjay Sethi as the Chairman of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). This marks the first time in a decade that a bureaucrat, rather than a transport minister or elected representative, has been given the role.
Sethi, who currently serves as the Transport Secretary and holds the rank of Additional Chief Secretary, was appointed following the resignation of Bharat Gogawale, who has been inducted into the state cabinet. In his previous role, Sethi was already an ex-officio member of MSRTC.
MSRTC is one of India’s largest public transport undertakings, operating a fleet of around 14,000 buses and serving nearly 55 lakh passengers daily. With a workforce of approximately 90,000 employees, the corporation has been grappling with financial difficulties, including rising losses, an aging fleet, employee strikes, and declining ridership.
Sethi’s appointment signals a push for administrative efficiency and financial restructuring to improve the corporation’s performance and public transport services in Maharashtra.
