Chennai on monsoon ALERT: 596 pumps, 478 vehicles deployed for biggest flood response

Chennai: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced that it is fully prepared to tackle the upcoming northeast monsoon, with a massive fleet of vehicles, pumps, and machinery kept on standby to address waterlogging and flood-related emergencies across the city.

According to officials, a detailed inspection was carried out on September 15 to ensure all equipment was in working condition. The civic body confirmed that 596 motors have been serviced and readied, including 50 high-capacity units, 192 pumps, 500 road pumps, 100 generator sets, and 150 submersible and suction units.

Alongside these, 478 vehicles and heavy machines have also been mobilised. The list includes two earthmovers, three excavators, six jet rodding machines, seven mobile pumps, 15 desilting vehicles, 224 portable diesel motors, 52 trolley-mounted motors, five heavy-duty vehicles, seven jetting lorries, 60 tankers, 93 tipper lorries, and even a trailer-mounted dewatering vehicle.

To ensure round-the-clock preparedness, zonal offices across Chennai will function as flood-response control rooms. These offices will monitor rain-related incidents in real time and coordinate the swift deployment of men and machines.

The Corporation has stationed pumps and motors at strategic points, especially in areas historically prone to waterlogging, to cut down response time. Extra staff and drivers have been assigned to operate machinery continuously during heavy spells of rain.

The civic body has also emphasised that this year’s flood-readiness is being backed by the ongoing expansion of the city’s underground stormwater drain network.

Since 2021, the DMK government has been implementing large-scale stormwater projects aimed at reducing the city’s vulnerability to extreme rainfall events, which have become increasingly frequent due to climate change.

While the work has not yet been fully completed, officials expressed confidence that waterlogging would be significantly reduced this season compared to previous years.

“The Corporation is determined to minimise disruption to daily life and ensure quick clearance of inundated areas,” an official said, adding that rapid response teams would be on duty throughout the monsoon period.

With memories of past flooding still fresh, Chennai is bracing for another intense monsoon — but with greater preparedness and more confidence than before.