2 floodgates of Sukhna Lake opened after water level crosses danger mark

After August 19, this is the second time this monsoon that two floodgates of Sukhna Lake have been opened

Chandigarh | Updated: August 29, 2025 09:46 PM IST

Officials confirmed that neighbouring districts were alerted in advance before the release of water. (File photo)

Following heavy rainfall in Chandigarh and the catchment area, two of the three floodgates of Sukhna Lake were opened early Friday morning after the water level crossed the danger mark of 1,163 feet.

Officials said one floodgate was opened around 3.30 am and another at 4 am, each raised up to 1 ft to release excess water into the Ghaggar river through the Sukhna Choe. This is the second time this monsoon season that two floodgates have been opened. The earlier instance was on August 19. A single floodgate was operated on August 6, 8, 15 and 17.

As the floodgates were opened, there was an overflow of water on the bridge on Sukhna Choe near Bapu Dham Colony, which washed away barricades and iron grille installed on the sides of the bridge. As a result, the route was closed for some time.

As the water level dropped to 1,162.80 ft, one floodgate was closed around 11.30 am and another around 1.30 pm, said the officials.
The UT engineering department has deployed officials at the lake’s regulator end, with CCTV cameras installed to monitor the water level continuously. A dedicated control room has also been set up to coordinate with the district administrations of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula for timely communication during such operations.

Officials confirmed that neighbouring districts were alerted in advance before the release of water.

In recent years, the floodgates were operated four times in 2023, six times in 2022, and five times in 2021. Significantly, the opening of two floodgates in August 2020 led to widespread flooding in low-lying areas of Zirakpur. On September 24, 2018, the floodgates were opened after a gap of nearly a decade.

From the homepage