Chennai, Oct 28 (IANS) With Cyclone Montha inching closer to the Andhra Pradesh coast and triggering heavy rain across northern Tamil Nadu, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin conducted an inspection at the Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) Command and Control Centre at Ripon Buildings on Tuesday to assess the city’s readiness.

Accompanied by senior corporation and Revenue Department officials, Udhayanidhi Stalin reviewed real-time data from the centre, which operates round the clock to monitor rainfall intensity across the city, vehicle movement in subways through surveillance cameras, and water levels in canals, rivers, and estuaries.

Officials briefed him on the city’s flood mitigation measures, including pre-deployed motor pumps, desilting of stormwater drains, and readiness of emergency rescue teams.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Montha lay centred about 480 km east of Chennai, is likely to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh by Tuesday night.

Though the system is expected to bring only moderate to heavy rain to Tamil Nadu, the state government has heightened preparedness to tackle any possible flooding or infrastructure damage in low-lying areas.

During the inspection, the Deputy Chief Minister also reviewed the functioning of the 1913 helpline and the grievance redressal system through social media platforms.

He instructed officials to ensure that all complaints related to waterlogging, fallen trees, or infrastructure damage are forwarded promptly to zonal officers and resolved without delay.

As part of precautionary measures, the GCC has kept 215 relief centres ready with food, water, and medical supplies. More than 2,000 high-capacity motor pumps have been stationed at flood-prone points, while 457 tree cutters have been deployed to clear uprooted trees. The Chennai Metro Water and Sewerage Board has also placed 2,149 field workers on standby.

The state government has announced that all district administrations along the northern coast have been put on alert, with rescue teams from the NDRF and SDRF pre-positioned in vulnerable areas.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, and a holiday has been declared for schools in Chennai and Tiruvallur as a precautionary measure. Officials said the situation would continue to be monitored from the control centre until the cyclone fully weakens after landfall.

–IANS

aal/svn