CHENNAI: The state government has allocated Rs 29,863 crore to the Municipal Administration and Water Supply department in the revised budget estimates for 2026-27, Finance Minister N Marie Wilson announced on Wednesday. The allocation is Rs 1,636 crore higher than the interim budget presented by the previous government for 2026-27. In 2025-26, the department received an allocation of Rs 26,678 crore.
The minister announced the launch of Chief Minister's Integrated Urban Development Mission (CMIUDM), for which Rs 2,117 crore has been allocated this financial year.
The mission aims to bridge critical gaps in urban infrastructure by adopting an integrated approach covering water supply, underground sewerage systems, integrated solid waste management, city roads, urban transport, expansion of green spaces, protection of urban water bodies, social infrastructure, the safety of women and children, AI-driven e-governance, and a dedicated urban public health improvement mission.
"By 2031, this mission will reshape the urban landscape, character and functioning of the state’s cities, positioning the state as a national role model in urban governance," the minister said.
Cooum and Adyar restoration
The Minister further announced that the government would invite global tenders and prepare a detailed feasibility report and detailed project report to transform the Cooum and Adyar rivers into the identity of Chennai. The vision, he said, is to restore the rivers to a state where residents can enjoy boating, children can safely play in the water, and people of all ages can walk or exercise along clean and unpolluted riverbanks.
"Our historic city of Chennai has embraced us and become an inseparable part of who we are. It grieves many of us that the Adyar and the Cooum, rivers that once met the city's drinking-water needs, have today been reduced to little more than channels of sewage. Successive Governments that held office in the past squandered several hundred crores of the people's tax money in the name of cleansing and beautifying them. Yet, no meaningful change was ever brought," the minister said.
The minister also announced plans to develop people-friendly streets in all municipal corporations by creating modern urban thoroughfares with proper road connectivity, dedicated pedestrian pathways, separate cycling lanes, well-connected cross-streets, junction improvements, safe school access networks, and modern LED street lighting.
Chennai initiatives:
In Chennai, a comprehensive street redesign and urban mobility project will be taken up, focusing on pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, universal accessibility and better urban design. The project will include smart parking management at 20 locations and the restructuring of roads in the Ambattur and Guindy industrial estates. To expand Chennai's green canopy and create people-centric public spaces, footpaths along major routes and residential zones will also undergo greening and beautification.
Marie added that the implementation of an Intelligent Transport Management System in coordination with the Chennai City Police and the Metropolitan Transport Corporation to improve urban transport is in the final stages.
As part of the vision to transform Chennai into a sustainable and disaster-resilient city, blue-green infrastructure projects will be undertaken around water bodies across the city. The height of retaining walls is being raised and chain-link fences erected to expand their discharge capacity and mitigate urban flooding, protecting environmental resources while creating sustainable spaces for community use.
The Minister also said that the Ring Main Pipeline project, which will connect Chennai's major drinking water sources with distribution stations across the city, is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 3,108 crore and is expected to be completed by 2031.
Once completed, the project will ensure a reliable, equitable and round-the-clock drinking water supply across Chennai.