Who is Sanjeev Khirwar? MCD chief involved in ‘dog walking row’ in limelight after Satya Niketan building collapse | Today’s news
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar is facing calls to resign after a building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan resulted in the death of at least seven people.
Following the tragedy, both civic and student groups are questioning the record of the MCD under Khirwar on unsafe and unauthorized constructions in the city.
“Yesterday we also protested at the MCD office and demanded the resignation of the MCD commissioner. We are all sitting here demanding accountability. What is the actual level of security of students in the campus?” ABVP national social media convenor Prerna Bhardwaj asked, according to an ANI report.
In this context, let’s take a look at Sanjeev Khirwar’s profile:
Who is Sanjeev Khirwar?
Sanjeev Khirwar is a 1994 batch IAS officer in AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre.
He was appointed chairman of MCD in January 2026. This was his return to Delhi after a period of three years. He was earlier transferred out of the city after the Thyagraj Stadium episode in 2022 when he was Principal Secretary (Revenue) to the Delhi State Government.
It was claimed that the coaches and players were asked to end their training sessions at the stadium by 7 pm as Khirwar and his dog would arrive at the venue.
“Earlier we used to train till 8-8.30 pm in the light. But now we are asked to leave the ground by 7 pm so that the officer can walk the dog around the ground,” the trainer told The Indian Express when the incident occurred.
Khirwar then denied the charges, although he admitted taking his dog to the facility.
Following this incident, then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered all sports facilities under the Delhi government to remain open till 10 pm while Khirwar was transferred to Ladakh to serve in a number of senior administrative posts.
Between 2009 and 2014, he served as Private Secretary to the Minister for Women and Child Development of the Central Government. Khirwar has also served in various posts, in Goa, Delhi, Arunachal Pradesh and other areas of the AGMUT cadre, India Today reported.
What did Sanjeev Khirwar say after the Satya Niketan tragedy?
When asked about the status of unauthorized buildings in Delhi, Khirwar told ANI that though exact numbers are not available, the MCD regularly conducts identification and demolition exercises.
“We don’t have exact numbers. Regular identification is underway. In the last three months, 960 demolitions were carried out, 407 buildings were sealed, and 1,500 buildings were notified of sealing and demolition. This is a regular process to intervene against unauthorized construction,” he said.
