Mumbai, Jun 24 (IANS): As the number of Covid-19 cases in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region crossed the 1 lakh mark on Tuesday, the state government effected a major bureaucratic shake-up by transferring four civic bodies chiefs in theregion's worst-hit Thane district, an official said here.

They include Thane Municipal Commissioner Vijay Singhal who has been replaced by another IAS officer Dr. Vipin Sharma.

Thane - with 26,506 cases and 751 fatalities - has emerged as the second worst-hit district after Mumbai in the state.

Additional Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur Abhijit Bangar has been posted as the new Municipal Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, replacing Annasaheb Misal.

Gadchiroli Zilla Parishad CEO, Dr. Vijay Rathod, has been assigned as the new Municipal Commissioner of Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation, to take the place of Chandrakant Dange.

Gondiya Zilla Parishad CEO, Dr. M. Raja Dayanidhi, has been posted as the new Municipal Commissioner of Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation in place of Samir Unhale.

In mid-May, the state government had effected a similar operation by abruptly replacing the then high-profile Greater Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi with another senior IAS officer I. S. Chahal, and later around 9 IAS officers were deployed in Mumbai to oversee various aspects of the war against the virus.