CM Vijay reviews work at Command and Control Centre

CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who holds the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) portfolio, inspected the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at the Ripon Building for the first time on Sunday to review measures taken by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to tackle the northeast monsoon disruptions.

The Chief Minister reviewed rainfall data recorded since Saturday night, river and canal discharge levels, subway monitoring operations, and the status of public grievances.

Later, he chaired a review meeting which was attended by ministers and senior officials. Corporation Commissioner GS Sameeran briefed the Chief Minister on relief measures undertaken after rains, including food distribution to affected residents.

A statement from the government said Vijay appreciated the civic body officials for their efforts following heavy downpours, and also instructed staff at the control centre to listen attentively to public complaints and take immediate action to resolve their issues.

Following the extremely heavy rainfall that lashed several parts of Chennai from Saturday night to the wee hours of Sunday, 35 locations reported waterlogging. Taking note of the ground situation, Chief Minister Vijay directed ministers to return to Chennai and oversee the mitigation and relief works. The efforts are being headed by PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna, who visited several parts of the city to monitor and supervise the works.

The corporation deployed motor pumps that were kept on standby and cleared stagnant water from all 35 spots. Overnight heavy rains also led to tree falls at 22 locations, which were cleared immediately to restore traffic flow. Also, the standing rainwater in 22 subways was cleared to ensure uninterrupted vehicular movement, said the corporation.

To support residents in low-lying areas, 227 relief camps and 112 central kitchens stocked with food supplies have been kept ready. On Sunday, the corporation distributed meals to 13,500 people in inundated areas.

Among the areas that reported severe waterlogging was the Vaidyanathan flyover in Tondiarpet, where several two-wheelers and autorickshaws were stranded before the inundation was cleared. According to G Shanmugavel, a resident of Perambur – which incidentally is Chief Minister Vijay’s constituency – inundation and waterlogging are a recurrent problem that they face every year. “We urgently need a permanent drainage solution," he said.

Low-lying residential streets in Vyasarpadi, including Mullai Nagar and Golden Nagar, suffered knee-deep inundation, while sewage-mixed rainwater accumulated on Glass Factory Road in Tiruvottiyur. In the south, Velachery's AGS Colony and neighbouring areas suffered flooding up to three feet deep before water receded hours later. AI and IT Minister R Kumar, who represents Velachery constituency, inspected the relief measures in the area.

Geetha Ganesh, secretary of the AGS Colony RWA, requested the installation of an automatic rain gauge (ARG) to improve localised rainfall tracking for flood control.