The Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department must ensure timely completion of the Union government funded projects and prepare and execute projects under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) within stipulated timelines, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay said here on Monday (June 8, 2026).

Mr. Vijay who chaired a review meeting on the implementation of schemes under the MAWS department said the department must ensure sustainable and integrated urban development through coordination with various government agencies to execute urban infrastructure development plan, said a press release. Officials informed the Chief Minister that the UCF, which was launched in April this year, could facilitate infrastructure facilities worth about ₹30,000 crore in Tamil Nadu.

He also directed officials to take measures to provide uninterrupted 24x7 drinking water supply in all 25 municipal corporations and improve water infrastructure in municipalities and town panchayats to ensure a minimum of three hours of water supply daily.

The Chief Minister also called for restoration of the Cooum river and Buckingham canal along with the ongoing Adyar River Restoration project. By 2031, green infrastructure and open public spaces are to be expanded across all urban local bodies. Measures must be initiated to develop parks and recreational facilities in major cities like Chennai, Madurai and TIruchi.

Mr. Vijay also stressed the need to plant five crore saplings in urban areas over the next five years to increase urban green cover, strengthen biodiversity and improve climate resilience. He also instructed officials to establish animal birth control centres in all civic and local bodies by 2031.

Officials also presented the proposed Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Transformation Mission 2026-2031, which seeks to develop urban infrastructure in Tamil Nadu. The programme is estimated to require investments of a minimum of ₹1.5 lakh crore over five years, to be mobilised through Union and State government schemes and various other funding sources.

They also briefed about the progress of various Union government schemes, including AMRUT, AMRUT 2.0, Jal Jeevan Mission and JJM 2.0 and State government schemes, including Singara Chennai 2.0. M. Saikumar, Chief Secretary; Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Additional Chief Secretary, MAWS and other senior officials were present.