CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has appointed ministers and senior IAS officers to oversee all 15 zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), with a focus on expediting development works and strengthening preparedness ahead of the northeast monsoon.
The move comes as the state steps up its administrative and civic preparedness for the northeast monsoon, with the government placing particular emphasis on storm water drain works, identification of vulnerable areas and timely coordination of emergency and relief measures.
According to an order issued by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar, ministers who already have district-level monitoring responsibilities have been given additional charge of specific zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation. They will monitor ongoing development works in their respective zones and coordinate emergency response and relief measures during the monsoon.
Aadhav Arjuna Made Coordinator for All 15 Zones
PWD and Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna has been appointed as the coordinator for all 15 GCC zones. He will oversee the overall monitoring mechanism and coordinate with the ministers assigned to individual zones.
The arrangement is aimed at ensuring closer supervision of civic works and improving coordination between the state government and the Greater Chennai Corporation, particularly during the monsoon season when the city faces the risk of waterlogging and flooding.
Ministers Assigned Specific GCC Zones
The state government has distributed the 15 GCC zones among seven ministers for focused monitoring.
HR&CE Minister S Ramesh has been assigned Tiruvottiyur and Manali, while Commercial Taxes Minister T Lokesh Tamilselvan will oversee Madhavaram and Tondiarpet.
Health Minister K G Arunraj has been given responsibility for Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar.
Handlooms Minister M Vijay Balaji will oversee three zones — Ambattur, Anna Nagar and Teynampet.
Environment Minister T K Prabhu has been assigned Kodambakkam and Valasaravakkam, while Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban will monitor Alandur and Adyar.
Tasmac Minister K Vignesh will oversee Perungudi and Sholinganallur.
The ministers are expected to monitor development and civic works in their respective zones and work with local officials to address issues that could affect residents, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
Senior Officers to Monitor Storm Water Drain Works
In a separate order, the Tamil Nadu government has appointed monitoring officers for each of the 15 GCC zones to closely track storm water drain works and ensure preparedness for relief operations during the northeast monsoon.
The officers have been assigned the responsibility of regularly visiting their respective zones and reviewing the preparedness measures being undertaken by the civic administration.
They will work in coordination with GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran to assess the ground situation and ensure that necessary preventive and response measures are put in place before the onset of heavy rains.
Vulnerable Areas to Be Identified and Mapped
A key responsibility of the monitoring officers will be the identification and mapping of vulnerable areas within their respective zones.
The exercise is intended to help the administration identify locations that are particularly susceptible to flooding and waterlogging and enable officials to plan preventive measures and emergency responses in advance.
The officers will also review the status of storm water drain works and other flood-mitigation measures, with the objective of ensuring that critical civic infrastructure is ready to handle the monsoon.
Focus on Community Participation and Flood Mitigation
The monitoring mechanism will not be limited to infrastructure and government works. The officers have also been tasked with overseeing community participation and other flood-mitigation measures in the zones.
The government is seeking greater coordination among ministers, senior officials and the GCC administration to ensure that preparedness measures translate into effective action on the ground.
The officers will therefore assess the preparedness of their respective zones, coordinate with the corporation administration and monitor measures aimed at reducing the impact of heavy rainfall and flooding.
Strengthening Chennai’s Monsoon Preparedness
With ministers assigned direct responsibility for GCC zones and senior officers tasked with monitoring preparedness, the state government has created a multi-level monitoring mechanism covering the entire city.
The arrangement is expected to provide closer supervision of development works while ensuring that storm water drainage, vulnerable-area mapping, community participation and emergency relief preparedness receive attention ahead of the northeast monsoon.
The coordination between the ministers, monitoring officers and GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran will be crucial in ensuring that civic agencies can respond quickly to rainfall-related emergencies and minimise disruption to residents across Chennai.
