Chief secretary M Saikumar
We need long-term measures, not last-minute flood management,” said Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Association president T K Shanmugam. Chennai: Ahead of the northeast monsoon, chief secretary M Saikumar has directed civic and other govt departments to complete all monsoon preparedness work in the city by the end of Sept. During an inspection of ongoing stormwater drain construction, canal improvement and water hyacinth removal work in Adyar, Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones, the chief secretary stressed the need for coordinated action among departments to prevent waterlogging and ensure the smooth discharge of excess rainwater ahead of the monsoon. “Every year, we see officials rushing to clear drains and prepare for floods only when the monsoon is around the corner. The summer gave them enough time to restore and maintain the water bodies, but that opportunity seems to have been wasted. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chennai | Silver Rate in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Petrol Price in Chennai | Diesel Price in Chennai | CNG Price in Chennai | LPG Price in Chennai
The officials also inspected a ₹73 crore stormwater drain project along OMR at Thoraipakkam in Sholinganallur zone. The project is intended to channel runoff from the Pallikaranai marshland towards the Buckingham Canal.
The chief secretary also stressed the need for coordinated action among civic and infrastructure departments, making it clear that the remaining work must be wrapped up before the northeast monsoon sets in.