UT opens Sukhna Lake floodgate again, fourth time this monsoon season

Following rainfall in the catchment area, one of the three floodgates of the Sukhna Lake was today opened around 2.45 PM, after the water level of the lake reached near the danger mark of 1,163 feet.

The floodgate was opened for the fourth time in this rainy season.

Earlier, the floodgate was opened on August 6, 8 and 15. The floodgate was opened to release the excess water of the lake into Ghaggar river through the Sukhna Choe.

According to officials, the gate was opened at up to the height of three inches when the water level reached nearly 1,163 ft and it would be closed when the water level would recede to nearly 1,162 ft.

The UT Engineering Department has deployed personnel at the lake's regulator on a 24x7 basis and CCTV cameras have been installed for continuous monitoring. A control room has also been established to coordinate communication with the district administrations of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula during the floodgate operations.

The officials said that the district administrations of the neighbouring districts were alerted before opening of the floodgate. The department had opened the floodgates to check their working condition on June 28.

Floodgates were opened four times in 2023, six times in 2022 and five times in 2021. Opening of two floodgates in August 2020 caused a widespread flooding in the low-lying areas of Zirakpur situated alongside the Sukhna Choe. On September 24, 2018, the floodgates were opened after a gap of 10 years.