For the citizen of Delhi, urban governance simply means the availability and efficient delivery of utilities and services. In reality, governance of the capital city of India is a formidable task, full of challenges. The urban scenario is difficult to comprehend with ever-changing situations and requirements. In State of the Capital, former commissioner of the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), K.S. Mehra uses his wisdom, knowledge and experience to analyse various issues of urban governance. From transforming the work ethics of the civic body to dealing with political pressure, Mehra’s honest yet powerful narrative describes the seemingly daunting and unusual situations he faced at the helm of affairs in his remarkable four-year term.