Chennai, Oct 22:
Greater Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board have intensified monsoon-preparedness measures, including drainage clearance, tree pruning, water-quality testing and the deployment of specialised equipment, as the northeast monsoon brings heavy rain to the city.
School Education Minister Raj Mohan inspected tree-pruning operations on Jothi Venkatachalam Road in Ward 58. He also reviewed rainwater clearance work on Alagappa Road, where high-capacity 100-horsepower suction pumps were being used, and visited the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Ripon Building.
GCC Commissioner G S Sameeran inspected safety measures at the Puzhal surplus canal along Madhavaram Red Hills Road. He reviewed stormwater drain works and instructed officials to maintain continuous monitoring of vulnerable locations.
The corporation had removed 78,161 tree branches across its zones as of October 20. In the central region, covering Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Ambattur, Anna Nagar, Teynampet and Kodambakkam, workers cleared branches from 731 trees at 50 locations during operations on October 20 and 21. Medical camps are also being conducted across the city.
Metro Water has deployed 580 machines for drainage and sewer-clearance operations. The equipment includes 289 desilting machines, 73 high-speed suction vehicles, 43 jetting-cum-sucker machines and 173 jetting machines.
As part of its public-health precautions, Metro Water has doubled daily drinking-water quality testing to 1,800 samples across the city’s 15 zones. It has also floated tenders for additional desilting and sewer-cleaning equipment using funds allocated under the Chief Minister’s Perambur Constituency fund.
The department is assessing the need for 13 additional machines, including equipment to serve newly added areas and replace ageing vehicles. An around-the-clock control room is operational at headquarters, while Internet of Things-based monitoring is being used at sewage pumping stations.
Officials said the measures were aimed at reducing waterlogging, maintaining sewer networks and safeguarding public health during the monsoon. Residents can contact Metro Water at 1916 or WhatsApp 8144930308 to report water and sewer-related complaints.