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. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Fund allocation
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.
Storm water drain construction works - Zone-wise
Tiruvottiyur Zone
All 93.68 km of stormwater drains under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) fund have been completed.
Manali Zone
All 126.296 km under the ADB fund have been completed.
Madhavaram Zone
All 165 km under the ADB fund have been completed. Of 1.160 km under the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust fund, 1.142 km is done and the balance is to be completed by October 20.
Tondiarpet Zone
Of 27.35 km under the Capital Fund, 27.26 km has been completed and the remaining work is to be completed by October 25.
Royapuram Zone
All 1.19 km under the Capital Fund have been completed.
Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar Zone
All 2,311 m under the Capital Fund have been completed. Of 600 m under the ADB fund, 430 m is done and the balance is to be completed by October 20.
Ambattur Zone
All 11.124 km under the Capital Fund have been completed. Of 2.440 km under the ADB fund, 2.060 km is done and the balance is to be completed by October 31.
Anna Nagar Zone
All 13.87 km under the ADB fund have been completed. Of 21.94 km under the Capital Fund, 21.65 km is done and the balance is to be completed by October 31.
Teynampet Zone
All 5.62 km under the Capital Fund have been completed.
Kodambakkam Zone
Of 18.79 km under the Capital Fund, 16.71 km is done, and of 11.42 km under the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) fund, 7.13 km is done. The balance in both is to be completed by October 31.
Valasaravakkam Zone
Of 7.50 km under the Capital Fund, 5.81 km is done, and of 7.26 km under the CMRL fund, 2.83 km is done. The balance in both is to be completed by October 31.
Alandur Zone
All 7.9 km under the Capital Fund have been completed. Of 30.87 km under the KfW fund, 29.97 km is done and the balance is to be completed by October 31. Two of three missing links have been completed, and the third is to be completed by October 31.
Adyar Zone
Of 34.98 km under the Capital Fund, 33 km is done and the balance is to be completed by October 31.
Perungudi Zone
All 2.35 km under the Capital Fund have been completed. Of 154.19 km under the KfW fund, 145.27 km is done and the balance is to be completed by March 31, 2027. One of nine missing links is in progress, and the rest are to be completed by October 31.
Sholinganallur Zone
Of 125 km under the KfW fund, 101 km is done and the balance is to be completed by March 31, 2027.
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.
Pumps and relief centres
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.