Tamil Nadu government appoints Ministers in-charge, Monitoring Officers to oversee development and disaster relief works in Chennai

Daily life was thrown out of gear due to heavy downpour caused by the Michaung cyclone in Chennai. A scene at Radhakrishnan Salai in the city on December 4, 2023

| Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan

The Tamil Nadu government has appointed Ministers as in-charge for all the 15 zones in the Greater Chennai Corporation to expedite development works and coordinate emergency relief and rescue operations during disasters.A Government Order to this effect was issued by Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar. According to the order, based on the directions of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna, who is the Minister in-charge of Chennai district, has been appointed as the coordinator for all 15 zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).Ministers in-charge — Designated zones of Greater Chennai CorporationHindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister Ramesh — Tiruvottiyur, ManaliCommercial Taxes and Registration Minister D. Logesh Tamilselvan — Madhavaram, TondiarpetHealth and Family Welfare Minister K.G. Arunraj — Royapuram, Thiru-Vi-Ka NagarMinister for Handlooms and Textiles M. Vijay Balaji — Ambattur, Anna Nagar, TeynampetNatural Resources Minister T.K. Prabhu — Kodambakkam, ValasaravakkamTransport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban — Alandur, AdyarProhibition and Excise Minister K. Vignesh — Perungudi, SholinganallurThe government has also issued another order appointing IAS officers as Monitoring Officers for each zone to ensure that relief measures reach people during the northeast monsoon and to oversee the progress of stormwater drain works.Zones of Greater Chennai Corporation — Monitoring OfficersTiruvottiyur — K. Balasubramaniam, Director of Indian Medicines and HomoeopathyManali — P. Kumaravel Pandian, Member Secretary, Tamil Nadu State Planning CommissionMadhavaram — S. Arunraj, Additional Director, Directorate of SugarTondiarpet — R. Kannan, Commissioner of SugarRoyapuram — Asha Ajith, Director, Environment and Climate ChangeThiru-Vi-Ka Nagar — B. Ganesan, Managing Director, New Tirupur Area Development CorporationAmbattur — K. Vivekanandan, Special Secretary, Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce DepartmentAnna Nagar — B. Gayathri Krishnan, Director (Social Security Schemes), Commissionerate of Revenue Administration and Disaster ManagementTeynampet — T. Christuraj, Director, Survey and SettlementKodambakkam — S. Gopala Sundara Raj, Additional Commissioner, Commissionerate of Land AdministrationValasaravakkam — J. Vijaya Rani, Director, Horticulture and Plantation CropsAlandur — Waghe Sanket Balwant, Executive Director, TIDCOAdyar — K. Senthilraj, Director, Adi Dravidar WelfarePerungudi — Mageshwari Ravikumar, Director, Art and CultureSholinganallur — D. Baskara Pandian, Director, MuseumThe government has directed the officials to visit their respective zones and coordinate with the Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner to ensure preparedness for the northeast monsoon.Their responsibilities include identifying vulnerable areas, mapping and analysis, making institutional arrangements, pre-positioning personnel and materials, capacity building, mitigation measures, overseeing sanitation, deployment and traffic and communication plans, relief and shelter arrangements, and ensuring medical preparedness, the order added. Published - August 26, 2026 06:06 pm IST