Expanding blue flag beach initiatives, and improving footpath and green coverage are among the long term priorities for the newly appointed Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G S Sameeran. In an interview with Praveena S A, he says the civic body will improve its revenue through better utilisation of corporation properties. Edited excerpts:
As the new commissioner, what are your top priorities for the city over the next two years?
My immediate priorities are flood mitigation works, improving disaster resilience, enhancing GCC’s own-source revenue, and completing ongoing stormwater drain and road works. In the long term, Chennai has huge potential for better public spaces. We plan to expand blue flag beach initiatives, improve pedestrianisation, beautify the city, and increase green cover through greening activities.
What is the current status of road relaying, stormwater drain projects, canal desilting, and strengthening of water bodies?
In Kosasthalaiyar basin, the ADB-funded stormwater drain work is almost 100% complete. In Adyar and Kovalam basins, KFW-funded works are being carried out in three phases. The first two phases are nearly complete, while the third phase has achieved 65% progress. We expect all three phases to be completed before the northeast monsoon. Regarding roads, out of around 5,500 road projects, nearly 90% have been completed. Around 200 works were dropped, and 199 roads remain pending.
How much rainfall can Chennai’s current stormwater drain system handle without major flooding?
It depends on several factors such as rainfall intensity, duration, tidal conditions, carrying capacity of waterways, and upstream inflows. Even 10cm of rain, combined with high tide and saturated canals, may cause temporary inundation in some areas.
However, over the last five to eight years, GCC has undertaken extensive stormwater drain works, which have improved the city’s ability to handle average rainfall. We have identified hotspots where micro-inundation occurred last year and are now carrying out missing-link drain works and other interventions.
How does GCC plan to address illegal sewage discharge into stormwater drains?
GCC is working closely with CMWSSB to curb illegal sewer connections. Since identifying such connections is difficult in dense urban areas, we are prioritising locations where underground sewer systems already exist. Along with penalties, we also need to incentivise residents to shift to UGSS connections by giving them time to pay connection charges.
Solid waste management continues to remain a major concern.
Chennai generates more than 6,300 tonnes of waste daily. Our long-term vision is to move away from dump yards through biomining and waste-to-energy (WTE) projects. At Kodungaiyur, biomining of around 37 lakh tonnes has been completed out of 66 lakh tonnes. At Perungudi, around 94 acres have already been reclaimed. Regarding WTE, we will continue to consult and convince local stakeholders. WTE plants are being adopted globally and can reduce garbage accumulation and pollution if operated under strict pollution control norms.
Open urination and poorly maintained public toilets remain a complaint among residents.
Open urination requires behavioural change. We plan to address this through awareness campaigns, NGO partnerships, strong messaging, and beautification of vulnerable spots. Regarding public toilets, the pilot phase of privatisation has been completed in zones 5, 6 and 9, and additional packages have been rolled out. Moreover, the payments to contractors are linked to strict performance indicators, with independent engineers conducting audits, ensuring toilets are well maintained
GCC’s budget deficit has increased from Rs 601 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 2,011.8 crore in 2026-27. How does the corporation plan to manage rising expenditure?
The deficit has increased because GCC has prioritised public needs such as roads, stormwater drain networks, and repairs to public utilities and buildings. At the same time, we have also focused on improving revenue generation. We have identified gaps in property tax assessments, including commercial properties wrongly classified as residential. We also carried out data cleansing exercises with departments such as GST, TNEB, and CMWSSB. Through GIS-based identification and data cleansing alone, GCC generated an additional Rs 270 to Rs 280 crore. Going forward, we plan to further improve our own-source revenue through advertisements, and by commercialising and better utilising corporation properties and spaces.
The Chennai Corporation is often criticised for tender irregularities. How can accountability be ensured?
The entire procurement process in GCC is carried out through e-tendering. We have instructed officials that transparency should remain key. Any allegation or complaint regarding irregularities will be thoroughly enquired into, and officials found guilty will be acted against. Instructions on the same have already been circulated to officials. Tender conditions will also be reviewed, and unnecessary barriers to competition will be identified and removed.
What is GCC’s plan to improve pedestrian infrastructure and accessibility?
Permanent encroachments on roads and footpaths will be dealt with strictly after due legal process. At the same time, temporary encroachments involving street vendors require stakeholder consultations.
Will GCC make project progress data more publicly accessible?
GCC now has a better ERP system, and much of the project-related data is already available online. Through the ICCC, several public service-related details are also being made accessible. We are open to improving transparency further.
Several UPHCs continue to be run with doctor shortages and staffing gaps. How do you plan to address this?
We are trying to fill gaps with support from NHM, along with service and non-service postgraduate doctors from DPH and DME departments. Our effort is to ensure that at least one doctor is available in every centre. The larger challenge, however, is the shortage of specialists such as obstetricians and gynaecologists in community health centres and maternity centres.