CHANDIGARH, August 7 — For the first time this monsoon, the UT engineering department opened a floodgate of Sukhna Lake on Wednesday after water levels crossed the danger mark of 1,163 feet, following overnight rain. Officials raised one of the three floodgates by three inches at 11 am and said it would remain open overnight to manage the inflow.
“Further action will be taken on Thursday morning after assessing the situation,” said a senior official from the department.
The last time the floodgates were opened was in August 2023, when the water level hit 1,162.90 feet. In July that year, two gates had to be opened repeatedly after persistent downpours pushed levels to 1,164 feet.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh received 15.8 mm of rain from Tuesday night until early Wednesday. However, officials noted that runoff from adjoining parts of Himachal Pradesh significantly contributes to Sukhna Lake’s water levels.
So far this season, the city has recorded 521.1 mm of rainfall—5.8% above normal—with more showers expected in the coming days. Rainfall is expected to intensify over the weekend.
Temperature-wise, the city saw a spike in maximum temperature from 30.9°C on Tuesday to 34.5°C on Wednesday, one degree above normal. The minimum temperature dropped to 23.7°C, three degrees below the usual. The IMD predicts that maximum temperatures will hover between 33°C and 35°C over the next three days, while minimums will remain between 25°C and 26°C.
Bridge Collapse Severs 5 Villages
In neighbouring Mohali, Tuesday night’s downpour triggered flash floods in the Jayanti Majri area, causing the collapse of a seasonal bridge and severing five villages from the rest of the district. The affected villages are Gura, Bhagindi, Kasoli, Jayanti Majra, and Kaurndawala.
Residents said a surge of water carrying debris such as tree trunks and rocks washed away the makeshift bridge — the only link for these villages. The structure had previously collapsed during the 2023 monsoon as well.
“This happens every year, yet no concrete steps have been taken. MLA Gagan Anmol Mann has never even visited the area,” said Chaudhary Sham Lal Majarian, a Zila Parishad member from Gura. “We’re now pooling money ourselves to carry out temporary repairs.”
Mohali deputy commissioner Komal Mittal confirmed the bridge was under repair using MLA Local Area Development (LAD) funds. “Work was underway, but flash floods washed it away. We will restore the passage as soon as the water recedes,” she assured.
Meanwhile, villages near New Chandigarh are on alert. Residents have been maintaining night-long vigils at check dams and embankments despite administrative assurances that the situation remains under control.
“People still remember the 2019 floods, when a dam burst destroyed crops and killed 25 cattle,” said Jagdish Singh, sarpanch of Choti-Badi Naggal village.
Sadhu Singh, a resident of Masol village near Nayagaon, said villagers were stranded for two days just last week due to rising waters in the Patiala-ki-Rao rivulet. “We’ve seen what happens when these warnings are ignored,” he said.
