Mayor, Deputy Mayor MIA in monsoon reviews

CHENNAI: With the northeast monsoon approaching, Greater Chennai Corporation’s elected leadership appears to have been sidelined from this year’s flood-preparedness exercise, with TVK government ministers and senior officials taking charge of inspections and reviews.

Mayor R Priya and Deputy Mayor M Magesh Kumaar, both from the DMK, have not participated in government-level reviews of pre-monsoon works since the TVK government came to power after the Assembly elections.

Chief Secretary M Saikumar, MAWS secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi and GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran, along with ministers appointed as zonal in-charges, have been overseeing the preparedness work. The Deputy Mayor, however, warned that the DMK should not be held responsible for any monsoon related issues faced by the people, including flooding, for the officials and Minister failures this monsoon.

The absence is in contrast to last year when Priya was closely involved in monsoon preparations. In August and September 2025, she inspected desilting of the Virugambakkam Canal, deployment of specialised machinery to clear water hyacinth and floating debris, and desilting and rejuvenation of 22 waterbodies in Sholinganallur, Perungudi and Ambattur zones. She also chaired reviews with Sameeran at Ripon Building.

This year, since August, Priya has not conducted any monsoon-related inspections and has instead attended inaugurations of schools and multi-purpose halls. At the council meeting last month, Priya said that she and the Deputy Mayor had not been invited to government-level meetings on monsoon preparedness. Commissioner Sameeran told councillors that several meetings had been held with ministers and senior officials and that Rs 100 crore had been sanctioned for precautionary works.

Priya subsequently said the Corporation had sought release of the Mayor’s Special Fund and pending ward development funds for councillors, adding that the funds were essential for emergency dewatering, storm water drain maintenance and localised flood mitigation across all 200 wards.

The Deputy Mayor, however, alleged that officials were not responding to the elected representatives. “Since the ministers are new, they are unfamiliar with the low-lying areas where dewatering pumps need to be installed,” Magesh Kumaar told DT Next.

He cited Kumaran Nagar in Valasaravakkam, Annai Besant Road in Triplicane, Prakasam Road in Broadway, DeMellows Road and Angalamman Koil Street in Pattalam and Ganesapuram as areas requiring attention. He said that GP Road would require coordination with the State Highways department.

He also claimed that SWD work had slowed down in Porur, Nandambakkam and adjoining areas because contractors had stopped work over pending dues. “Desilting of the Otteri Nullah, which should reach a depth of 4 metres, has progressed only to 1 metre,” he alleged. “Political vendetta should not stall public welfare projects. The State government must immediately release the necessary funds to the corporation to ensure these vital works continue uninterrupted.”

He also alleged that the Mayor was scheduled to inaugurate an Animal Birth Control Centre in Perungudi but was subsequently informed that Animal Husbandry Minister S Kamali would inaugurate it.

Kumar averred that unusual monsoon rainfall was expected and warned that elected representatives could not be held responsible for failures if officials remained unresponsive. “If waterlogging occurs and anything goes wrong, the Mayor, deputy mayor, DMK committee chairpersons and ward councillors cannot be held responsible,” he said.

DMK Valasaravakkam zone chairman V Rajan said that damaged dewatering motors had not been repaired and tree-pruning works had not begun. AIADMK councillor J John of Ward 84 also alleged that desilting and road patchwork were pending.

The usual all-department coordination meeting at GCC headquarters, involving various line departments, has also not been held so far this year, councillors said.

Asked why the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and councillors had not been invited to the monsoon preparedness reviews, Electricity and Law Minister R Nirmalkumar said different departments had been assigned specific responsibilities and were carrying out the work accordingly. “The meetings are departmental reviews and not public functions where all elected representatives have to be invited. Usually, the Corporation Commissioner is in control of these works and is running them. Sameeran and other officials are participating in review meetings. As far as I know, there is no delay or lapse in the works,” he said.

Nirmalkumar added that the Commissioner Sameeran was working full-time on preparations for the northeast monsoon and that responsibilities had been mapped and recovery teams formed in advance.

Attempts to reach Priya and Commissioner Sameeran for comment were unsuccessful.