After continuous rain in the catchment area, the Chandigarh Administration on Wednesday morning opened two of the three floodgates of Sukhna Lake. The water level had crossed the danger mark of 1,163 feet, prompting the release of excess water into the Ghaggar river through the Sukhna Choe.
Officials said one floodgate was opened around 7:30 am and the second at 8 am, both up to a height of three inches. This is the ninth time the floodgates have been opened this monsoon, more than any year in recent history. Earlier, the gates were lifted on September 1, August 30, 29, 19, 17, 15, 8 and 6.
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On September 1, one of the floodgates was closed by 3 pm, while the other remained open for nearly 21 hours and was shut around 4 am on September 2.
To ensure safety, the UT Engineering Department has deployed officials round-the-clock at the regulatory end of the lake. CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor water levels. A control room has been set up to coordinate with the district administrations of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula during openings of floodgates.
Authorities confirmed that neighboring districts and the traffic police were alerted in advance each time the gates were lifted.
Earlier, the floodgates were opened four times in 2023, six times in 2022, and five times in 2021. In August 2020, opening of two gates led to widespread flooding in low-lying areas of Zirakpur along the Sukhna Choe. Before that, on September 24, 2018, the gates were opened for the first time in ten years.
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