Sukhna Lake’s floodgates opened after a decade as water level crosses danger mark

Two of three floodgates at Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake were opened for the first time in a decade after water levels crossed the danger mark of 1163 feet on Monday. The gates were last opened in 2008.

Till September 22, the water level was 1162 feet and has risen since. The water will be drained out to seasonal river Sukhna choe, which passes through the industrial area of Chandigarh.

Union territory’s chief engineer, Mukesh Anand told Hindustan Times that as water level crossed the danger mark, they opened two gates. “We have also informed the officials of the neighbouring states – Punjab and Haryana - about the water level. If required, we might have to open more gates,” he said.

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The kidney-shaped Sukhna Lake was created in 1958 by blocking the flow of water in the Sukhna choe originating from the Shivalik hills by raising stone-cum earthen embankments. Covering an area of around 338 acres, it is 1.52 km long and 1.49 km wide with an average depth of around 5 metres.

A tourist destination in Chandigarh, it has 135 paddle boats, five shikaras and a cruise boat with a capacity of 20 people for visitors. During weekends, the income from boating touches Rs 2 lakh, while in the week days, it is around Rs 1 lakh.