A first: Sukhna floodgate opened again — for 10th time this monsoon

Officials said the floodgate was opened at 12.30 pm and closed by 3.30 pm once the water level dropped to 1,162.30 feet. This marked the record 10th opening of the season, with earlier operations carried out on September 3 and 1, and on August 30, 29, 19, 17, 15, 8, and 6.

To ensure safety, the UT Engineering Department has deployed staff round the clock at the regulatory end of the lake, backed by CCTV cameras for continuous monitoring. A dedicated control room is coordinating with the district administrations of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula, while advance alerts are being issued to neighbouring districts and the traffic police before each floodgate operation.

In comparison, the floodgates were opened four times in 2023, six times in 2022, and five times in 2021. In August 2020, the simultaneous opening of two floodgates caused flooding in Zirakpur’s low-lying areas along the Sukhna Choe. Earlier, in September 2018, the gates had been operated after a gap of 10 years.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department, Chandigarh, has not issued any warnings for heavy rainfall on September 7 and 8, offering some relief after days of persistent showers that have kept the lake levels elevated.

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