Chandigarh, Aug 15. — One of the three floodgates of Sukhna Lake was opened on Friday evening after recent rainfall caused the water level to reach the danger mark of 1,163 feet, marking the third opening this monsoon season. Previous openings occurred on August 6 and 8 to manage excess water flowing into the Ghaggar River via the Sukhna Choe.
Officials said the floodgate was raised by four inches and will remain open until the water level recedes to at least 1,162 feet. Personnel from the UT Engineering Department have been deployed at the lake’s regulator round-the-clock, with CCTV cameras installed for continuous monitoring. A control room has also been set up to coordinate with the district administrations of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula during floodgate operations.
Prior to the opening, neighboring district administrations were alerted. The floodgates were last tested on June 28. Historical data shows the gates have been opened four times in 2023, six times in 2022, and five times in 2021. Notably, the opening of two floodgates in August 2020 caused significant flooding in low-lying areas of Zirakpur. The last recorded opening after a decade was on September 24, 2018.
Authorities continue to monitor water levels closely to ensure the safety of surrounding areas.
