New Delhi fire chief appointed in bureaucratic reshuffle

Delhi's government reshuffled 43 senior officers, appointing new heads for key agencies, including the Fire Services and Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corp.

New Delhi:

According to the notice issued by the services department and ordered by lieutenant governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, IAS officer Sachin Rana was appointed principal director of the fire department, (Representative photo)

In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle in Delhi, the government on Wednesday transferred 43 senior officers and reassigned key portfolios, leading to new appointments at critical institutions such as the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) and the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC).

According to the notice issued by the services department and ordered by lieutenant governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, IAS officer Sachin Rana was appointed principal director of the fire department, while Sandeep Kumar Singh was named managing director of SRDC.

Rana, a 2014-batch AGMUT cadre officer currently serving as special secretary (home), will additionally hold the charges of special secretary (urban development) and principal director of DFS. He replaces 2012-batch officer A Nedunchezhiyan, who had been holding the charge since last year. The appointment assumes significance as it comes at a time when Delhi has witnessed a series of deadly fire incidents, bringing renewed focus on the functioning and preparedness of the fire department.

Sandeep Kumar Singh, a 2011-batch IAS officer serving as special secretary in the chief minister’s office, will take over as managing director of the SRDC while continuing in his existing role.

Among the senior-level changes, 1992-batch IAS officer Bipul Pathak, additional chief secretary of the social welfare department, was given additional charge of the women and child development department.

Senior IAS officer Navin Chaudhary, a 1994-batch officer currently serving as additional chief secretary in the irrigation department, will now also oversee the general administration department (GAD). He replaces Pandurang Pole, who will move to the land and building department as secretary while retaining additional charge of the labour and cooperation departments.

Santosh Kumar Rai, a 2014-batch IAS officer serving as special commissioner in the trade and taxes department and special CEO of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), will continue with the disaster management authority while also taking over as special secretary (home).

Ankur Mehsram, a 2014-batch DANICS officer and additional district magistrate (outer north), has been appointed secretary to social welfare minister Ravinder Singh Indraj.

Vinay Kumar Jindal, who was serving as secretary to law minister Kapil Mishra, has been transferred as director in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). He will be replaced by Ranjeet Kumar Singh, previously a joint director in the education department.

Health minister Pankaj Singh’s secretary, Vaibhav Rikhari, was also moved to the DJB as director. Mukesh Rajora, who was serving as ADM (headquarters), will take over as secretary to Singh, who also holds the transport and information technology portfolios.

Rajesh Chaudhary, previously joint secretary in the urban development department, has been appointed secretary to industries and environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

The administrative overhaul also extended to district administrations. South West district magistrate Mekala Chaitanya Prasad will become special secretary (health), while KK Lakshman moves from the post of Central district magistrate to serve as district magistrate of South West Delhi.

East Delhi district magistrate Amol Srivastava has been appointed special commissioner in the transport department, according to the government order.