The Greater Chennai Corporation will begin inspecting dilapidated buildings across the city from the end of September, ahead of the northeast monsoon, after a 2025 survey identified 337 structures requiring attention. The civic body will seek structural safety assessments from IIT-Madras, Anna University or the Public Works Department when its own engineers cannot determine whether a building is safe.
The identified structures include 130 Greater Chennai Corporation buildings, along with private properties and buildings owned by other government departments. The inspections are intended to reduce risks to occupants, passersby and nearby residents before the monsoon season.
GCC divisional assistant engineers have been directed to identify dangerous buildings in their respective divisions. They must inform the assistant executive engineer and zonal executive engineer, who will inspect each site and assess the building’s nature, age and condition.
Where GCC engineers are unable to establish the structural safety of a building, the property will be referred to IIT-Madras, Anna University or the PWD for a structural assessment and report. The assessment will determine whether the building requires repairs, structural strengthening, evacuation or demolition.
A GCC official said the civic body would primarily ask owners to undertake structural strengthening. “Mainly, we will ask owners to carry out structural strengthening of the buildings. If there are cracks in the sunroof, they will be asked to replace it,” the official said.
If a structural report recommends demolition to prevent risks to occupants or members of the public, the corporation will issue a notice to the owner under Section 258 of the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act. If the owner does not comply, GCC will demolish the building and recover the cost from the owner.
The procedure will apply to private as well as government buildings. Where a property is involved in a court case, GCC officials will follow the directions issued by the court before taking further action.
The civic body may also ask occupants to vacate buildings found to be in a seriously dilapidated condition. “If the building is in a dilapidated condition, occupants will be asked to vacate within a month,” the official said.
Separate notices will be issued when residents file complaints about building deviations, according to the official. The inspection process is scheduled to begin at the end of the month, with divisional and zonal officials responsible for identifying structures that require detailed assessment or immediate action.
