Centre approves 1st urban flood mitigation project of Rs 561.29 cr for Chennai Basin project

The Central government has approved the first urban flood mitigation project of Rs 561.29 crore for 'Integrated Urban Flood Management' activities for the Chennai Basin project, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday.

Shah made it clear in one of his posts on 'X' stating, "This mitigation project will help make Chennai flood-resilient."

He also pointed out that it is the "first in a series of urban flood mitigation efforts and will help develop a broader framework for urban flood management."


"Chennai is facing major floods, the third such occurring in the last eight years. We are witnessing more instances of metropolitan cities receiving excessive rainfall, leading to sudden flooding," Shah wrote in his post on X.

"Guided by a pro-active approach, PM @narendramodi Ji has approved the first urban flood mitigation project of Rs 561.29 crore for 'Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin Project' under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), which also includes Central assistance of Rs 500 crore," he said.

The announcement comes at a time when Chennai is reeling under severe water-logging caused due to heavy rainfall in the region following Cyclone Michaung's landfall.

The Tamil Nadu capital remained waterlogged after the landfall of the cyclone on Tuesday, with over 61,000 people seeking refuge in government-run shelters. Many others checked into service apartments and budget hotels due to shortages of water, essentials, and electricity.