Chennai Northeast monsoon rains: T.N. CM Vijay directs officials to maintain continuous vigil

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay reviewed Northeast monsoon preparedness at the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Ripon Buildings on Sunday (October 18, 2026).

With the onset of the Northeast monsoon, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has instructed officials to maintain a “continuous vigil” across all constituencies throughout the season, according to sources.

He made this remark while reviewing monsoon preparedness, waterlogging at 35 locations including Velachery, Manadi, and the Madras High Court area, and the Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) response to the heavy rain that has been lashing the city, at the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Ripon Buildings earlier this week.

He asked officials to respond promptly to complaints, and applauded civic and other departmental personnel for their work following the downpour.

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at the ICCC at Ripon Buildings on Sunday (October 18, 2026). Ministers Aadhav Arjuna, K.G Arunraj, Rajmohan, P. Venkataramanan, Ramesh K.A. Sengottaiyan and K. Vignesh, with Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, GCC Commissioner G.S Sameeran and officials were present.

According to data presented by officials to Ministers last week,, of the ₹100 crore special fund for the monsoon, ₹44.46 crore was allocated for drainage and roads, including ₹22.46 crore for desilting 1,671 km of stormwater drains and ₹22 crore for patchwork and road restoration.

Another ₹26.68 crore was earmarked for pumps and maintenance, including hiring 150 high-capacity pumps and 500 tractor-mounted pumps. Another ₹15 lakh was allocated for repairing electric motors at ₹1 lakh per zone. Additionally, ₹4.65 crore was allocated for pump and sump maintenance, along with five temporary personnel per division for emergency monsoon works. Another ₹10 crore was allocated as an emergency response fund, at ₹5 lakh per division.

Stormwater drain construction under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) fund is complete in the Tiruvottiyur (93.68 km), Manali (126.296 km), Madhavaram (165 km) and Anna Nagar (13.87 km) zones, and under the Capital Fund in the Royapuram, Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar, Ambattur, Teynampet, Alandur, and Perungudi zones.

Balance work is due on October 25 in Tondiarpet (Capital Fund). It is due on October 31 in Ambattur (ADB fund), Anna Nagar, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, and Adyar (Capital Fund), Kodambakkam and Valasaravakkam (CMRL fund), and Alandur (KfW fund). Under the KfW fund, 145.27 km of 154.19 km is done in Perungudi and 101 km of 125 km in Sholinganallur, with the balance due by March 31, 2027, according to the presentation.

The Highways Department has completed desilting 275 km of stormwater drains, 18,000 catchpits, 321 culverts, and six vehicular subway wells. In Sholinganallur zone, it has completed stormwater drain construction at Sholinganallur junction, desilting of the cross culvert at Chennai One Road in Thoraipakkam, and a link connecting the Semmozhi Salai drain to the macro drain, fitted with a flap gate. In Perungudi, it desilted the drain at S. Kolathur. In Adyar, it cleared a blockage near the Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus and built a cross culvert near Raj Bhavan and the taluk office road. Work to address water stagnation on GST Road in Teynampet, between Anna Flyover and Cathedral Road junction, is also complete.

The Water Resources Department has evicted encroachments at Vaikkadu village in Manali zone that obstructed the discharge of surplus water from Puzhal lake and kept 1,000 sandbags ready at the lake. It has strengthened the Adyar river bund near Kasi Theatre in Kodambakkam zone and constructed a missing link in the Kolapakkam channel at Dharmarajapuram in Alandur, with temporary flood-mitigation measures in place. One-time cleaning of the North Buckingham Canal in Tiruvottiyur zone has also been completed.

For emergency operations, 1,189 vehicles and machines have been kept ready. These include 676 Corporation pumps, 134 rented high-capacity pumps, 648 tractor-mounted pumps, and 109 water-collection tanks. The Corporation and Fisheries Department have also readied 36 and 97 boats, respectively.

The city has 227 temporary relief centres and 112 community kitchens ready to accommodate residents from low-lying areas and provide food.