Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has appointed two senior Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) officers as directors of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), strengthening the administrative leadership of the utility responsible for water supply and sewerage in the national capital. The move comes as the DJB undergoes a series of top-level changes amid heightened focus on water management and infrastructure projects.
New Appointments Announced
As part of a major bureaucratic reshuffle ordered on Wednesday, Vaibhav Rikhari has been posted as Director, Delhi Jal Board, replacing his earlier assignment as Secretary to Health Minister Pankaj Singh, who also holds the Transport and Information Technology portfolios. Additionally, Vinay Kumar Jindal, previously serving as Secretary to Law Minister Kapil Mishra, has also been appointed as Director of the Delhi Jal Board.
Recent Leadership Changes at DJB
The appointments follow a series of changes at the top of the Delhi Jal Board earlier this month. Senior IAS officer Sajjan Singh Yadav assumed charge for the second time as Chief Executive Officer of the DJB, while BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay took charge as its vice-chairman after the formation of the new government. The induction of Rikhari and Jindal adds to the administrative team leading the utility.
Key Responsibilities and Challenges
The Delhi Jal Board is responsible for supplying drinking water to the Capital, managing sewerage networks, operating sewage treatment plants, and implementing key infrastructure projects. It is also a key agency in the government's Yamuna rejuvenation programme, with responsibility for expanding sewage treatment capacity, intercepting untreated drains, and improving wastewater management to reduce pollution flowing into the river.
Besides long-term infrastructure projects, the new officers will oversee a utility that routinely faces operational challenges, including seasonal water shortages, complaints of contaminated water supply, leakages in the distribution network, delays in sewer connectivity, and monsoon-related sewer overflows. According to official sources, the DJB serves over 2 crore residents of Delhi through a network of over 14,000 kilometers of water pipelines and 9,000 kilometers of sewer lines.
Impact on Governance and Infrastructure
The strengthening of the DJB's leadership is expected to improve administrative efficiency and coordination on critical water and sanitation projects. The appointments come at a time when the Delhi government is prioritizing the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River and enhancing water supply infrastructure to meet growing demand. The new directors will work under the overall guidance of CEO Sajjan Singh Yadav and Vice-Chairman Satish Upadhyay to address the utility's operational challenges and accelerate project implementation.
