Bhardwaj arrived at VMC
headquarters in Khanderao Market on Thursday morning to take charge. He
held a meeting with senior officers of VMC on the first day of his
visit.

Bhardwaj met all deputy municipal commissioners, city
engineer, executive engineers and other officials soon after assuming
charge.

Later in the day, he called upon the mayor and deputy mayor.

Bhardwaj is a 1997 batch IAS officer and holds a degree in M Tech from
the Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi). He earlier worked as
assistant collector in Banaskantha, additional commissioner of sales tax,
district development officer at Bharuch and Jamnagar, director in the
labour and employment department, director of technical education,
Junagadh collector and has also rendered services as the director of
census operations.

Bhardwaj replaces Ashwini Kumar who has been
transferred to the post of managing director of Gujarat Urban
Development Corporation Ltd.