New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta, a distinguished 1975-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, allegedly died by suicide at his residence in Noida’s Sector 82 on September 6.
The 74-year-old former bureaucrat was found hanging from a ceiling fan inside his residence at Kendriya Vihar-2 Society. Police reached the spot after a call was made through the Dial-112 helpline.
According to officials, the flat was locked from inside when police arrived, following which the door was broken open. His body was recovered from inside the residence and both police and forensic teams examined the scene.
Police also recovered a suicide note, in which Mehta reportedly cited mental and health-related struggles as reasons for taking the extreme step.
His last rites were performed on Monday at the Lodhi Road cremation ground in Delhi.
Wife Was Away in Dehradun
According to officials, Mehta’s wife, Sumanti Mehta, was in Dehradun visiting their son when the incident occurred.
She reportedly became concerned after Mehta failed to respond to repeated phone calls. The police were subsequently informed, leading to the emergency response at his Noida residence.
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The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Who Was Rakesh Mehta?
Mr Mehta was a 1975-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre who served in several important administrative positions during a career spanning more than three decades.
He eventually became Chief Secretary of Delhi, serving from 2007 until his retirement in November 2010.
Mr Mehta worked at a time when Delhi was undergoing significant transformation in its transport, power and civic infrastructure. His tenure as Chief Secretary also coincided with preparations for and execution of several major infrastructure projects linked to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Former colleagues and political leaders have remembered him as an efficient and reform-oriented administrator who was receptive to new ideas and focused on implementing policy decisions.
Chief Secretary of Delhi During 2010 Commonwealth Games
Ex-IAS Mehta was appointed Chief Secretary of Delhi in 2007 during the tenure of then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, succeeding R. Narayanaswami.
He remained in the position until November 2010.
His tenure coincided with one of the most demanding periods in Delhi’s administrative history, as the capital prepared to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
During this period, Delhi witnessed extensive infrastructure development, including roads, bridges and flyovers, along with other civic and urban projects required for hosting the international sporting event.
Mehta played an important administrative role in coordinating and implementing several of these initiatives.
Role in Delhi’s Power Sector Privatisation
Before and during his rise to the top administrative position in Delhi, Mehta handled several crucial portfolios.
He served as Power Secretary of the Delhi government during the period when the city’s electricity distribution sector was being privatised.
Former Delhi minister Arvinder Singh Lovely has recalled Mehta as an administrator who was willing to implement new policies and ideas.
His role in the power sector came during a major restructuring of electricity distribution in Delhi, which ultimately led to the entry of private distribution companies into the sector.
Plan to Replace Blue Line Buses
Mr Mehta was also involved in Delhi’s efforts to reform its public transport system.
He played a key role in formulating the plan to phase out the controversial Blue Line buses, which had become a major concern because of safety and traffic issues, and replace them with modern low-floor DTC buses.
The transition was part of the broader effort to modernise Delhi’s public transport system and improve commuter safety and service quality.
Property Tax Reforms in MCD
Another significant chapter of Mehta’s career came during his tenure as Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
He worked on reforms aimed at making property tax assessment more streamlined and reducing excessive human intervention in the process.
The reforms were intended to make the system more transparent while reducing opportunities for corruption and arbitrary assessment.
His administrative approach was marked by an emphasis on simplifying procedures and using systems to reduce discretion.
Air Ambience Fund: An Innovative Governance Idea
One of the initiatives associated with Mehta’s administrative career was the Air Ambience Fund, conceived as a mechanism to generate dedicated resources for tackling environmental pollution in Delhi.
The fund used a cess on fuel to generate resources that could be directed towards measures related to air, water and noise pollution control.
According to profiles of Mehta, the fund grew substantially from an initial corpus of around ₹40 crore to more than ₹500 crore, reflecting the scale of resources eventually accumulated through the mechanism.
The initiative demonstrated Mehta’s approach of looking beyond conventional government budgets to develop dedicated financial instruments for civic and environmental challenges.
Known for Administrative Speed
Former colleagues have also recalled Mehta for his unusual speed in decision-making and administrative work.
He was known for quickly acting on decisions taken during meetings and, according to accounts from people who worked with him, would sometimes return signed minutes to officers just hours after a meeting had concluded.
His reputation for efficiency, openness to new ideas and willingness to experiment with administrative processes earned him respect among several colleagues.
A Career Across Key Delhi Portfolios
Over more than three decades in public service, Mehta handled several important responsibilities in the Delhi government and the MCD.
His assignments included portfolios connected with:
- Delhi’s power sector
- Urban development
- Tourism
- Public relations
- Municipal administration
- Property taxation
- Transport
- Civic infrastructure
These roles placed him at the centre of several major policy and infrastructure changes in the national capital.
Former Colleagues Remember Reform-Minded Bureaucrat
Former Delhi Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi and other colleagues have recalled Mehta’s contribution to several administrative reforms.
Former minister Arvinder Singh Lovely also remembered him as an officer who was receptive to new ideas and prepared to implement policies aimed at improving governance.
His tenure coincided with a period when Delhi was undertaking major changes in its infrastructure and public services, including the modernisation of public transport, power-sector reforms and improvements in municipal systems.
Retirement in 2010
Mehta retired from the IAS in November 2010, after completing a long career in public administration.
By then, he had served in some of the most important administrative positions in Delhi and had been closely associated with several major reforms and infrastructure initiatives.
Even after retirement, he remained known within bureaucratic and civic circles for his contributions to Delhi’s administration.
Rakesh Mehta Dies at 74
Mr Mehta died on September 6, 2026, at the age of 74, at his residence in Sector 82, Noida.
The recovery of a suicide note and the circumstances described by the police have led authorities to investigate the death as a suspected suicide. The note reportedly referred to mental and health-related difficulties.
His death brings to an end the life of a bureaucrat who occupied some of Delhi’s most important administrative positions during a period of rapid transformation in the capital.
Colleagues and political leaders have remembered him for his administrative efficiency, willingness to embrace reforms and contribution to Delhi’s power, transport, municipal and infrastructure sectors.
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