Civic agencies have started identifying vulnerable locations that are prone to flooding owing to large infrastructure projects including Metrorail, Tangedco and Metrowater in the city.Owing to intensifying El Niño, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has ordered an allocation of ₹100 crore to execute comprehensive precautionary measures against Northeast Monsoon. Civic agencies will also implement an action plan for vulnerable locations and provide alternate solutions to prevent flooding this monsoon.MAWS secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi conducted a meeting in Ripon Buildings on Saturday with officials of various civic agencies to strengthen monsoon preparedness activities in the city, in the presence of CMRL Managing Director Ashish Chatterjee and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran, and senior officials from key stakeholder departments, including WRD, Highways, NHAI, Tangedco, Metrowater, Southern Railway and others.Out of 207 identified vulnerable locations inside GCC limits, stormwater drains have been constructed in 117 locations, modular storage tanks with high-capacity discharge pumps have been installed in 20 locations, dedicated motor pumps are stationed at 48 locations, and alternate engineering solutions will be implemented for the remaining areas.The funding of ₹100 crore covers stormwater drain desilting and ward-level relief preparedness, road restoration and repair, procurement and maintenance of heavy-duty motor pumps and deployment of 1,000 seasonal workers for monsoon related works.A total of 36 GCC boats and 275 fishing boats, arranged via the Fisheries Department, along with trained operators, will be kept on standby. A total of 215 flood relief centres and 111 community kitchens will be readied.Desilting underwayDesilting is actively under way across 1,671 km of stormwater drains and 1,10,082 silt catch pits throughout the city. Heavy machinery, motor pumps, and mechanised tree-cutters have been placed on standby. Over 1,000 general volunteers and 721 Residents Welfare Association members have been mobilised. The Volunteers Registration App, developed by GCC, will launch in the first week of September to onboard volunteers directly into relief and rescue operations.Officials of the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), the 1913 Helpline, and social media monitoring systems have been directed to resolve public complaints immediately. Out of 115 identified missing stormwater drain links, 42 have been reconnected. The remaining links will be completed before the onset of monsoon.Out of 28 railway culverts, desilting has been completed in three culverts, with the rest slated for completion before monsoon. Dedicated Nodal Officers from Southern Railway have been appointed to coordinate these works. A total of 50,625 tree branches have been pruned across the city to prevent snapping or falling during heavy winds.The WRD and Highways department have been asked to accelerate desilting in major rivers/canals and expedite stormwater drain work along State and National Highways. Tangedco has been asked to ensure pillar boxes are elevated above ground level, power cables are properly undergrounded without exposure, and zero-leakage protocols are enforced to prevent electrocution hazards. Published - August 29, 2026 07:52 pm IST