Mumbai, May 8: The Maharashtra government on Friday ordered the transfer of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Praveen Pardeshi amid the rising coronavirus cases in Mumbai. The civic body head has been replaced with senior bureaucrat Iqbal Chahal. The transfer order came hours after COVID-19 tally in the city topped the 11,000-mark. Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail: Maharashtra Home Minister Claims People Who Supply Vegetables & Milk May Have Acted as Carriers.

Pardeshi, who was appointed as the BMC Commissioner in May 2019, has now been transferred to the Urban Development Department (UDD). Iqbal, who would be taking over the reigns of civic body amidst the coronavirus crisis, is currently the UDD principal secretary.

Breaking: BMC Chief Praveen Pardeshi Transferred

The transfer order also comes a day after the BMC came under severe flak, as a video shot at the Sion Hospital - administered by the civic body - showed corpses of COVID-19 victims lying in the same ward where patients of coronavirus are being treated. The government had taken cognisance of the clip and asked the BMC to submit a report within 24 hours.

Mumbai, also referred to as the financial capital of India, witnessed a choking of all business activities due to the outbreak of coronavirus. The city is worst-affected in India and has recorded more number of cases than several other states combined. The toll of infections crossed 11,300 in the state capital on Friday, and over 430 patients have succumbed to death.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 08, 2020 06:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).