Chennai Corporation Allocates ₹5 Lakh Per Ward for Pre-Monsoon Works

The Greater Chennai Corporation has allocated Rs 5 lakh to each ward across the city to undertake pre-monsoon works and immediately address minor equipment repairs. The civic administration has also sanctioned Rs 1 crore per zone to patch up potholes and pits on city roads, alongside conducting a first-level mock drill on Wednesday at the Ripon Buildings campus and zonal offices to evaluate readiness ahead of the northeast monsoon.

The mock drill was executed simultaneously across ward offices and zonal headquarters throughout the city to ensure field units are equipped for emergency rescue and relief operations. GCC Joint Commissioner (works) S Saravanan personally inspected the machinery and reviewed preparedness measures on site.

As part of its flood mitigation plan, the corporation has assembled an extensive fleet of specialized machinery. The deployment includes two amphibious vehicles, three mini amphibians, six robotic multipurpose excavators, three amphibious excavators, seven recycler vehicles, 15 hydraulic tree-cutting machines, 10 truck-mounted cranes, five hydraulic ladders, six JCB machines, seven hydraulic excavators, and 60 skid-steer loaders.

To handle stagnant water in low-lying neighbourhoods, motor pumps ranging from 5 HP to 150 HP have been kept ready for deployment. The civic body noted that additional high-capacity dewatering pumps as well as tractor-mounted pumps will be brought in on a rental basis as needed during monsoon emergency situations.

Infrastructure maintenance is progressing in parallel across the municipal limits. The corporation highlighted that around 3,000 kilometres of stormwater drains have been built across the city, with active desilting work currently being executed along 1,300 kilometres of drains. Work is also under way to desilt 1.1 lakh silt catch pits in various areas.

Desilting of major canals is being guided by aerial drone inspections. Alongside drain clearing, preventive steps being taken by the local administration include improving city water bodies, pruning hazardous tree branches along streets, and maintaining municipal water storage tanks ahead of the rainfall season.