The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will launch the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) in the city in August.

GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said the project was a major step towards realising a safer, commuter-friendly city.

The project, being implemented with financial assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is making significant progress towards transforming urban mobility across the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The project, estimated at ₹530 crore, aims to enhance traffic management, improve road safety, and provide better public transport services through the adoption of advanced intelligent transportation technologies, said an official.

The project comprises two components, the Traffic Information and Management System (TIMS) for the Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) and the City Bus System (CBS) for the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC).

Traffic signal

Under TIMS, advanced systems such as Adaptive Traffic Signal Control Systems, Traffic Incident Detection Systems, Variable Message Sign Boards, Red Light Violation Detection Systems, Speed Limit Violation Detection Systems, and Automatic Traffic Counter and Classifier Systems are being installed at strategic locations across the city, an official said.

These systems will facilitate real-time traffic monitoring, automated enforcement, and data-driven traffic management, resulting in smoother traffic flow and improved road safety. Significant progress has already been achieved under the Adaptive Traffic Signal Control System (ATCS), with installations completed at 101 junctions and successfully integrated with the temporary Traffic Control Centre of the GCTP. Installation and integration works are under way at the other locations, the official said.

The Red-Light Violation Detection System (RLVD) has been implemented at 25 locations, incorporating automated number plate recognition and challan generation to improve compliance with traffic regulations.

Speed limit detector

The Speed Limit Violation Detection System (SLVD) has been installed at three locations to monitor over-speeding vehicles and strengthen road safety enforcement. “We will install the system at seven locations shortly,” said an official.

Traffic Incident Detection Systems (TIDS) have been installed at 47 strategic flyover locations to facilitate real-time traffic monitoring, incident detection, and quicker emergency response. In addition, Variable Message Sign Boards (VMS) have been installed at three locations to provide commuters with real-time traffic updates, incident alerts, and alternative route information, said the official.

A modern Traffic Information and Management Centre (TIMC) is also being established at the GCTP Headquarters. The facility will serve as the city’s centralised traffic monitoring and control hub and is expected to be completed by the end of August 2026.

The CBS component includes the deployment of Automatic Vehicle Location Systems in 3,500 MTC buses, Passenger Information Systems at 616 bus stops and depots, and Depot Management Systems across 32 depots. These initiatives will enable real-time bus tracking, accurate arrival information for commuters, and improved efficiency in bus operations.

Implementation activities are progressing steadily across the city. Necessary permissions for communication network infrastructure have been facilitated by the Greater Chennai Corporation and the State Highways Department.

For locations where installation of equipment has been found technically infeasible, suitable alternate locations have been identified to ensure optimal project coverage and effective utilisation of the systems, said the official.

Power connections are being secured at project locations, while minor junction improvement works are also being carried out to support the deployment of intelligent traffic management infrastructure.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is set to replace the existing accessible wooden ramp on Marina Beach with a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) ramp.

The installation is expected to begin after the work order is issued later this month, officials said.

The wooden ramp, installed in 2022 to provide beach access for persons with disabilities, was designed using eco-friendly materials in compliance with Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines.

At that time, the GCC had said the structure could be easily repaired after extreme weather events.

According to GCC officials, the wooden ramp required periodic repairs after portions were damaged.

However, they later found that the Brazilian timber pillars embedded beneath the sand to support the wooden ramp had deteriorated and began to rot due to prolonged exposure. “Nails or any other supporting mechanism was not possible because of the rotting. Hence, an HDPE ramp, similar to the one planned on the Blue Flag portion of Marina Beach, will be installed here,” an official said.

The move has however drawn criticism on social media, particularly from persons with disabilities, who have said the proposed HDPE design may not be as smooth or accessible as the earlier wooden ramp with railings.

A number of government-aided schools in the central business district of George Town do not have a playground and depend on the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) playgrounds for sports activities in the congested neighbourhood.

The decision by the GCC to collect charges from government-aided schools for access to its playgrounds during school hours has led to disruption of sports activities in these schools during this academic year, sources said.

A few years ago, the Corporation decided to increase charges for schools that use the modernised playgrounds. For instance, the charges for higher secondary schools were increased from ₹1 lakh to ₹2.09 lakh. The charges for private schools were increased from ₹5 lakh to ₹10.45 lakh.

Students who prepare for sports events this academic year are likely to lose access to the facilities if the Chennai Corporation Council refuses to accept the demand of schools to waive the charges.

The GCC has demanded payment in revised charges for playground access from each of the 19 schools in the vicinity of Rajasthan Playground, which is maintained by the Corporation on Annapillai Street in George Town.

GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said: “We will not restrict access to school children using our playgrounds. But user charges will be collected from private and aided schools as per Council resolution. Some of the aided schools have expressed difficulty in paying the user charges since they cater to poor children and fees are not being collected by them. In such cases, we are taking a liberal view by allowing the students to use the grounds during P.T. hours.” However, the Corporation Council is yet to take a decision on waiver of charges.

With outstanding payments of around ₹2,000 crore for completed works yet to be cleared, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has tightened its belt in an attempt to cut down expenditure and increase revenue by intensifying property tax collection.

Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumaar said the ₹2,000 crore pending amount was for completed project works. Of this, about ₹450 crore was owed to Urbaser Sumeet, one of the private firms outsourced to handle solid waste management, he said. He urged GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran to request Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to consider releasing allocations under special funds to ease the pressure.

Standing Committee (Taxation and Finance) Chairperson Sarbajaya Das said that to clear the dues, the GCC would assess under-assessed commercial and other large properties, including those measuring over 2,000 sq.ft and 3,000 sq.ft, using GIS-based data to improve tax collection. But, many large-scale new projects are on hold, she added.

According to a senior official, the GCC has doubled its daily property tax collection target from ₹5 crore to ₹10 crore to improve its own-source revenue. Against the current half-year demand of about ₹980 crore, roughly ₹500 crore has been collected as of July 1, 2026. Additional staff, extended collection hours and more point-of-sale devices have been deployed for door-to-door collection of arrears, he added.

“The current financial pressure is temporary. The GCC expects its financial position to improve by September, when further development projects could be considered,” the official said.

Salary of workers priority

“GCC’s priority now is to ensure no worker, including those in conservancy, sanitation, and NULM, loses a month’s salary. We have kept conservancy workers’ wages aside, so capital projects will proceed slowly,” the official told The Hindu.

The GCC decided to slow down spending on construction of new projects and make payments to contractors in stages with the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS). Contractors can obtain early advances through the Receivables Exchange of India Limited, the official stated.

The GCC has so far collected around ₹500 crore against its half-year property tax demand of about ₹980 crore.

“The GCC receives ₹80-82 crore every month through State Finance Commission devolution. Around ₹360 crore towards three quarters of stamp duty and surcharge is yet to be released by the State. We have requested the State government to release these dues. Beyond this, funds cannot be expected from the State,” he said.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) on Sunday vaccinated 5,06,426 children, achieving 91% coverage under the Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization Drive conducted by healthcare workers, volunteers, and supporting departments across all 15 zones. Of the total target of 5,56,877 children (0-5 years), the majority were vaccinated through fixed booths, while others were reached through transit points, mobile teams, and house-to-house visits. The remaining 50,451 children who could not be vaccinated on Sunday will be covered during the upcoming mop-up rounds, ensuring that every eligible child receives the life-saving polio vaccine, according to officials.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has begun heat-wave preparedness at 754 locations, including 300 hospitals, 397 Amma Canteens, and 57 homeless shelters in the city.

The civic body has imparted training for staff to treat heat stroke cases in the 15 zones of the city. “GCC has readied medications and drugs for treatment of heat stroke at hospitals, including UPHC, UCHC and UHWC. A total of 1.34 lakh ORS packets are available to GCC centres. All those who visit the GCC centres will get oral rehydration solutions,” said an official.

GCC officials have begun raising awareness among residents about the heat wave, advising people to carry an umbrella during the summer heat, wear a cap, and avoid walking or jogging in parks during the daytime. Residents have also been advised not to step out of their homes during heat wave conditions. The Integrated Command and Control Centre will monitor heat wave conditions and provide advisory for residents.

As the impact on children, pregnant women and senior citizens has been reportedly high, officials have suggested measures to prevent heat stroke cases of such residents in each locality. The officials have advised residents to prevent children from visiting playgrounds during the daytime in summer and permit them only during the morning and evening in the playgrounds and parks. 

The persistent accumulation of water hyacinth and consequent rising mosquito menace in the Adyar River have drawn flak from residents and rowers, who have demanded a permanent solution from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

S. Jagadeeshan, 24, a resident of a settlement near Thideer Nagar on the banks of the Adyar, alleged that the build-up of water hyacinth, garbage, and debris, along with the mosquito menace, was addressed only during visits by elected representatives so far.

“The last time the hyacinth was cleared was about a month ago. Even then, it was not removed completely. Mosquito breeding has become so menacing that we are not able to even step outside. Children get sick often,” he said.

Mr. Jagadeeshan claimed that there was no door-to-door garbage collection in the locality, except in Gothamedu Housing Board tenements, resulting in residents dumping waste into the river. He also said drainage works promised by the previous government remained incomplete despite roads being dug up three months ago, leading to sewage entering the river. He further said that on the wider river banks on the other side of Maraimalai Adigal Bridge (formerly Marmalong Bridge), some youth engage in gambling and alcohol consumption between the bushes.

Madras Boat Club captain Sumana Narayanan said the spread of hyacinth had intensified since October last year, resulting in the cancellation of morning boating sessions because of dense weed accumulation. She said repeated complaints had been made to the GCC and deweeding operations were carried out periodically, but it was a recurring issue.

She added that mosquito breeding had increased, particularly for residents living near the banks. She said the spread of hyacinth reduced oxygen levels in the water, leading to fish deaths, and that the weeds moved along the river depending on wind direction.

Ms. Narayanan said older members of the club had observed that the problem had worsened over the past 30 to 40 years. She also referred to assistance provided earlier by Anna University and agencies from the Netherlands, and an earlier water study conducted by Anna University.

Over the years, several allocations have been announced for Adyar River restoration, including projects for eco-park development, sewage interception, flood mitigation, riverfront parks and resettlement of families living along the banks. The allocations ranged from multi-crore phase-wise projects between 2006 and 2011 to ₹4,227 crore in 2024.

Chennai Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumaar said he would inspect the river and ensure action against illegal sewage discharge and garbage dumping into the waterbody.