Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 18 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay visited Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) headquarters on Sunday to review preparedness for the northeast monsoon and assess the city's rain-related situation.
During his visit to the GCC headquarters, the Chief Minister monitored live CCTV camera feeds and reviewed the situation in a control room (war room), focusing on subways, waterlogging-prone roads and other vulnerable areas.
The high-level review is to monitor the precautionary measures, waterlogging management, and the monitoring of vulnerable locations across the city. 
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Minister Viswanathan on Sunday said Chennai would struggle to withstand continuous rainfall for 24 hours, while asserting that the government was prepared to tackle the northeast monsoon.
Speaking to reporters at Chennai’s Meenambakkam airport before departing for Delhi, the minister said there was no plan to meet the Union Minister for Higher Education.
He said a review meeting had been held with the Revenue and Disaster Management Minister to discuss monsoon preparedness. Plans were being made to accommodate people affected by heavy rainfall in university and college buildings, he said.
Discussions were also held on utilising college NCC students and voluntary organisations during the rainy season. A consultative meeting for NCC students on monsoon preparedness would be held on October 23, he added.
“Chennai has experienced good rainfall, and the floodwater has receded. However, Chennai cannot withstand continuous rain for an entire day,” he said, adding that ministers had been appointed to oversee monsoon preparedness in different zones.
On allegations of corruption in politics, Viswanathan said people should assess who had the commitment to serve the public without accepting bribes or engaging in corruption. He accused both the AIADMK and the DMK of being involved in corruption and amassing crores of rupees.
Referring to the alliance government, he said the TVK, Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Indian Union Muslim League were part of the coalition, adding that a genuine commitment to public service was essential.
Questioning the DMK's relationship with its former allies, he asked whether they had been given representation in the Cabinet, local bodies, cooperative institutions or municipal corporations.
“DMK leaders are the ones who have sold themselves while negotiating and securing their share,” he alleged.
As torrential downpours triggered severe waterlogging and gridlock across several parts of Chennai, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the state government to urgently strengthen flood-mitigation infrastructure and release the long-withheld Thirupugazh Committee report.
PMK President highlighted intense localised precipitation, including nearly 36 cm and severe hourly downpours across Kathivakkam, Meenambakkam, and Chennai Central.
“Thirupugazh Committee Report Must Be Released, and Flood-Prevention Measures Strengthened. In the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. today, Chennai recorded extremely heavy rainfall, with Parry's receiving the highest rainfall of 36.34 cm. Kathivakkam recorded 34.44 cm, Chennai Central 27.45 cm, Tiruvottiyur 22.41 cm and Ennore 21.58 cm. It is noteworthy that several parts of Chennai received rainfall of an intensity comparable to a cloudburst,” Ramadoss wrote on X.
Warning that changing climatic patterns and potential El Niño impacts could exacerbate weather extremes, Ramadoss emphasised that proactive structural overhauls are critical.
He said, “For more than five years, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has been warning that climate change could lead to cloudburst-like situations in Chennai and that the city's flood-prevention and stormwater drainage infrastructure must be strengthened to deal with them. Yesterday's rainfall has only reinforced this warning. There is also a risk of the situation worsening this year due to the impact of El Niño. Taking these factors into consideration, the government must intensify flood-prevention measures.”
PMK President further emphasised that an important point remains the status of the disaster-management report compiled by the Thirupugazh Committee, which concluded its 17-month study in March 2023.
He added, “Among the recommendations submitted to the Tamil Nadu Government for flood prevention in Chennai, the recommendations made by the committee headed by disaster-management expert Thirupugazh are particularly important. The Thirupugazh Committee, constituted in November 2021, conducted various field studies and analysed the data collected from them for a total of 17 months, up to March 2023, before submitting its final report in March 2023. However, even after 43 months, the report has still not been made public.”
Ramadoss stated that despite successive administrations acknowledging the formulation of 161 recommendations and past claims that 101 were implemented, the full text has remained out of the public domain for 43 months.
“The previous DMK government had stated that the Thirupugazh Committee's report contained a total of 161 recommendations and that 101 of them were being implemented. However, no one knows what those 161 recommendations were or which 101 recommendations had actually been implemented.”
"Chennai must not be allowed to be submerged by floods once again," Ramadoss stated, urging the government to release the Thirupugazh Committee's report and strengthen Chennai's flood-prevention and stormwater drainage infrastructure.