219 vulnerable locations identified ahead of Northeast monsoon, says GCC Commissioner

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Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran inspecting the precautionary measures being undertaken at the Adyar estuary ahead of the Northeast monsoon on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has identified 219 vulnerable locations, including low-lying areas and stretches along the OMR and ECR, as part of its preparedness for the Northeast monsoon, Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said.

The Chief Minister held meetings with departmental officials on September 8 and September 22 to review measures being undertaken in connection with the Northeast monsoon and issued several instructions. In particular, he instructed that the estuaries at Ennore, near Napier Bridge on the Cooum, at Besant Nagar on the Adyar, and at Muttukadu in Kovalam should be desilted. He also instructed that these locations be continuously monitored and follow-up action be taken, he said.

Based on this, the Water Resources Department has taken up 200 projects at an estimated cost of ₹42 crore, of which nearly 48% of the works have been completed. “We inspected the desilting works being undertaken at the Adyar estuary. This is a dynamic estuary. Every day, erosion takes place on one side. In the case of the Adyar, although it is 17.7 km long within the Chennai Corporation area, it is a large river of about 42 km in total. Water flows into it from several catchment areas,” he said at the press meet on Wednesday, when the Commissioner inspected the precautionary measures undertaken at the Adyar estuary ahead of the Northeast monsoon.

“At Tiruneermalai, water from the Chembarambakkam catchment can reach up to 30,000 cusecs at high levels. Similarly, water from areas such as Orathur, Nanmangalam and Somangalam can converge at Tiruneermalai and bring in up to around 19,000 cusecs. In addition to these, the urban area contributes another 15,000 cusecs. Together, during periods of flooding, as much as 70,000 cusecs have reached the Adyar estuary. At one point, the flow here has gone up to 72,000 cusecs. Under normal conditions, however, the river is capable of receiving around 35,000 to 40,000 cusecs,” he added.

On Arcot Road, complex stormwater work is restricted to night hours due to ongoing Metro Rail projects, with a Plan B utilising 100-HP motors ready to pump water where gaps remain. Similarly, although urbanisation has altered historical water bodies around Pallikaranai, authorities have planned cut-and-cover drains and weir arrangements to manage major watersheds and marsh flows, he said.

Additionally, 219 vulnerable low-lying locations have been identified, where large campuses and metro stations will utilise staggered pumping protocols to prevent immediate road flooding. Finally, readiness is bolstered by 1,320 motor pumps and 72 rescue boats, supported by cash advances issued to the Fisheries Department for rapid response, the Commissioner said.

If the estuary is very narrow, there will be backflow. Therefore, widening the estuary is one of the works being undertaken, said Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran while he inspected the precautionary measures being undertaken at the Adyar estuary on Wednesday (September 23, 2026). | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

According to a press release, the desilting of 1,10,211 silt catch pits was completed in the first phase, while 65,076 pits have been covered in the second phase. Stormwater drain connectivity works have been taken up at 105 missing locations, covering 922 metres. Works have been completed at 37 locations and are under way at 68 locations, the release added.

Desilting works are under way in 1,683 km of stormwater drains, of which 1,102 km have been completed, the Commissioner noted.

Desilting and water hyacinth removal have been carried out in 44 waterways maintained by the GCC, 13 canals maintained by the Water Resources Department, and the Cooum, Adyar and Buckingham Canal. Improvement works covering 8,439 metres have been taken up in the Captain Cotton Canal, Secretariat Colony Canal, Otteri Nullah, and Virugambakkam Canal, of which 6,977 metres have been completed.

Branches of 60,141 trees had been pruned between January 1 and September 21, 2026, the release said. An online system for volunteer registration has also been developed, while monitoring is being carried out through Integrated Command and Control Centres at the Ripon Buildings complex, the GCC headquarters, and three regional offices.

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