Greater Chennai government structure

State link

Chennai District

Greater Chennai Corp

Greater Chennai Police

Chief Minister · MAWS Minister முதலமைச்சர் / நகராட்சி அமைச்சர்

State link · escalates above Corporation Commissioner

State

CM Helpline
1100 · cmhelpline.tnega.org

MAWS
Municipal Administration & Water Supply Department · oversees all corporations
Chennai District Collector சென்னை மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர்

Revenue side · 6 taluks · no district panchayat

District

Role
Revenue, land records, disaster, elections, inter-department coordination — does NOT run civic services in Chennai (Corporation does)

Taluks
Egmore · Mylapore · Mambalam · Aminjikarai · Perambur · Tondiarpet

Website
chennai.nic.in

For
Patta, ration, certificates · police coordination · disaster relief
- Tahsildar (one per taluk) வட்டாட்சியர்
  
  Issues certificates · ration cards · patta
  
  Apply
  tnesevai.tn.gov.in
  
  Land
  eservices.tn.gov.in
  
  VAO
  Each taluk has VAOs who verify and recommend applications
Greater Chennai Corporation சென்னை மாநகராட்சி

Civic side · the layer most Chennai problems live in

GCC

Established
1688 — oldest urban local body in India

Scale
200+ wards organised into 15 zones

Helpline
1913 · Namma Chennai app · chennaicorporation.gov.in

Covers
Water, garbage, drainage, streetlights, roads, property tax, building approvals, primary schools, parks
- Mayor of Chennai சென்னை மேயர்
  
  Political head · indirectly elected by councillors
  
  Role
  Chairs Council, signs resolutions, political face of GCC
  
  Note
  Mayoralty changes with corporation election cycles — verify current holder at chennaicorporation.gov.in
- Corporation Commissioner ஆணையாளர்
  
  Executive head · IAS officer · runs day-to-day
  
  Role
  Final operational authority in GCC. Final stop before escalating to MAWS Secretary.
  
  Escalation ↑
  MAWS Secretary → Minister, MAWS → CM
- Zonal Officer (1 per zone × 15 zones) மண்டல அலுவலர்
  
  Middle layer · handles ward-level operations
  
  Role
  Operational head of a zone (group of wards). First point of escalation after Ward Councillor.
  
  Zones
  Thiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, Ambattur, Anna Nagar, Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Adyar, Perungudi, Sholinganallur
- Ward Councillor (200+) வார்டு உறுப்பினர்
  
  Your direct rep · directly elected · first stop
  
  Role
  Your political point of contact for any street-level issue in your ward
  
  Find yours
  chennaicorporation.gov.in — by ward number or address
  
  Escalation ↑
  Zonal Officer → Commissioner → MAWS Secretary → Minister → CM
Greater Chennai Police சென்னை மாநகர காவல்துறை

Commissionerate · not an SP-led district

Police

Head
Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai — senior IPS officer

Structure
City divided into zones; each zone headed by a Deputy Commissioner (DCP)

Adjacent
Avadi Police Commissionerate · Tambaram Police Commissionerate (metro suburbs)

Emergency
112 · 100 · 1091 · 1098

Website
chennaipolice.gov.in

Escalation ↑
Inspector → ACP → DCP → Joint CP → Commissioner of Police → DGP/Home Secretary → CM

For Chennai: civic issues go through the Corporation (1913 / Namma Chennai app), revenue through the Collector and Tahsildars, and law-and-order through the Police Commissioner — three separate channels that only meet at the CM.

Chennai-specific government tree showing Greater Chennai Corporation, district administration, and police commissionerate.