Mumbai News: BMC Chief Ashwini Bhide Pushes AI, E-Office And Unified Chatbot Platform To Boost Citizen Services And Governance

Mumbai, April 3: In her first review meeting on Friday, newly appointed Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide directed all civic departments to adopt AI technology and implement e-office and paperless operations to streamline daily workflows.

It was also announced in the meeting that the BMC will launch a unified chatbot platform, allowing citizens to access all civic services, register complaints, and receive updates in a single, convenient interface.

Focus on digital transformation and efficiency

Bhide reviewed detailed updates from the Estates, Finance, Water Supply Projects, and IT departments, emphasising faster and more efficient delivery of civic services.

The meeting was attended by Additional Commissioners Abhijeet Bangar, Dr. Avinash Dhakne, Joint Commissioner (Reforms) Sanjog Kabre, Deputy Commissioner Prashant Gaikwad, and other officials.

The BMC is strengthening citizen services through e-office, AI, and an integrated platform, while an upgraded ILMS will automatically capture new court cases from multiple court websites. Bhide reviewed the progress of all these initiatives.

Unified chatbot and GIS expansion planned

Currently, multiple WhatsApp chatbots serve different civic functions. The BMC is now developing a unified chatbot platform, allowing citizens to access all civic services, register complaints, and track applications in one place, improving convenience and service availability.

Simultaneously, the 3D GIS project will be expanded across departments, using highly detailed Mumbai maps to support urban planning, infrastructure management, emergency response, and civic asset monitoring, enabling more efficient data-driven decision-making. Bhide directed the integration of AI into various databases.

"Linking AI with GIS, the citizen service platform, and administrative systems will enable predictive analytics, automated insights, and faster decision-making, strengthening a data-driven, transparent, and citizen-centric administration," she added.

Water projects and infrastructure priorities

During a review of water supply projects, Bhide directed officials to immediately commence work on the Manori desalination plant, with all approvals in place, and complete it on schedule. She also called for follow-up on pending clearances for the recently approved Gargai Dam project to tackle Mumbai’s current water shortage.

Leasehold policy and urban renewal push

Bhide also discussed BMC’s current policies and upcoming proposals regarding leasehold properties, focusing on removing legal hurdles and streamlining redevelopment processes.

She directed follow-up on pending cases in the High Court and emphasised a comprehensive approach to developing leasehold assets, including providing housing for project-affected persons (PAPs) efficiently and transparently.

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The initiative forms part of the broader “Urban Renewal” strategy to address long-term challenges like housing demand and optimal land use in rapidly growing Mumbai.

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