Khirwar is already a familiar figure in the national capital following the 2022 Thyagraj Stadium controversy, also known as the dog-walking row. He is now facing renewed criticism after the Satya Niketan building collapse, which has raised questions over the MCD's handling of unauthorised structures.
The five-storey building was undergoing repair work when it collapsed on Sunday, September 6, killing seven individuals. The building was being used as student accommodation. The tragedy has since led to a magisterial inquiry, an FIR and the suspension of several MCD officials, including senior engineering officials.
Amid growing demands for Khirwar's resignation as MCD chief, he was asked about the total number of unauthorised structures in the city. Khirwar said the exact figure was not available.
"We don't have the exact figures. A regular identification is conducted. In the last three months, 960 demolitions were carried out, 407 buildings were sealed, and notices were served to 1,500 buildings for sealing and demolition. This is a regular process to take action against unauthorised construction," he said, according to Hindustan Times (HT).
However, the figures cited by the MCD commissioner have done little to settle questions over how effectively the civic body identifies dangerous structures before such incidents occur.
Khirwar was appointed MCD commissioner by the Ministry of Home Affairs in January 2026. He succeeded Ashwani Kumar, a 1992-batch IAS officer, as MCD chief this year. Kumar was transferred to Jammu and Kashmir.
Khirwar is a 1994-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) belonging to the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre.
Before taking charge as MCD commissioner, Khirwar served as principal secretary (environment and forest) in the Delhi government. He also served as Delhi's Principal Secretary (Revenue).
The Satya Niketan collapse, the resulting deaths, the magisterial inquiry, the FIR and the suspension of MCD officials have placed the civic body's approach to unauthorised and unsafe construction under renewed scrutiny, while calls for accountability continue to grow.
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