TN CM announces major drinking water and underground sewage projects for Madurai; ₹ 1,850-cr for road repairs in Chennai and urban areas

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. File | Photo credit: PTI

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday (September 2, 2026) announced a package of projects worth ₹1,000 crore to improve drinking water supply in Madurai and Cuddalore Municipal Corporations, nine municipalities and 30 urban panchayats. In addition, 33 combined drinking water supply projects will be further developed at a cost of ₹ 300 crore.

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In a suo motu statement in the assembly, the Chief Minister said that the 40-year-old underground sewage pipeline in Madurai would be repaired in the first phase at a cost of ₹ 1,400 crore.

The Chief Minister also announced waste-to-energy projects in Tirunelveli and Salem Municipal Corporations. A 9-MW waste-to-power project would be implemented at Tirunelveli at a cost of ₹256 crore. The Salem project would cost ₹ 291 crore and have a generating capacity of 10 MW.

Road repair projects

Another ₹1,850 crore project was announced to repair roads in Chennai and other urban local bodies that were damaged during the laying of drinking water and underground sewer lines.

Under the Vetri Tamilagam vision, 35 km of roads covering 45 sq km in Chennai would be converted into modern people-friendly streets with footpaths, Mr. Vijay said. In addition, safe access to schools would be created along 15km of roads to ensure student safety, and 105 road junctions would be improved as part of the traffic island improvement programme. The project is expected to cost ₹110 crore.

Similar projects would be implemented in other city corporations at a cost of ₹ 165 crore.

Other big projects

Mr. Vijay said that one million tree saplings will be planted to protect the environment and increase green cover in cities. The tree planting program would be carried out as a people’s movement.

He also announced major parks in Tiruchi, Tiruppur and Pudukkottai at a cost of ₹ 130 crore. The government would also create 250 new parks across the state at a cost of ₹175 crore.

As part of the government’s plan to improve infrastructure in schools under urban local bodies, new classrooms and modern facilities would be created at a cost of ₹335 crore.

Published – 02 Sep 2026 21:10 IST