Deepak.Yadav@timesofindia.comChandigarh: Frequent rain over the past few days led to water level in Sukhna Lake rising. With the waters swelling to 1,158.2 feet on Sunday, the UT engineering department established a 24X7 control room at the site to monitor the water level and coordinate with authorities concerned to ensure timely action.The department has also cleaned the natural rivulet and prepared contingency measures to tackle any further rise in water levels. Once the lake touches 1,163 feet, floodgates must be opened to release excess water into the Sukhna Choe.To manage the situation during the monsoon, the department has hired 15 dedicated personnel for three months, from July to Sept. These staff members are stationed at the lake and are responsible for operating the floodgates whenever required. A special emergency response team has been constituted to monitor developments and report directly to senior officers.UT chief engineer C B Ojha confirmed that the administration is keeping a close watch on rising water levels. He added that engineering staff and sufficient manpower have been deputed for round-the-clock monitoring. Seasonal nullahs near Chandigarh Technology Park and other choes across the city have been cleaned and strengthened to ensure smooth flow. Ojha emphasised that the control room at Sukhna Lake will oversee both water-level monitoring and floodgate operations.As part of the duty roster, one sub-divisional officer (SDO) and a junior engineer (JE) will remain stationed at the lake at all times. They will work in three rotational shifts to monitor the situation and coordinate with senior officers for decision-making in case of excess water. This arrangement ensures that the administration can respond swiftly to any emergency.Box: When floodgates openedThe Chandigarh administration opened the floodgates of Sukhna Lake in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. In 2025, heavy rainfall pushed the water level to the danger mark, forcing officials to release water to prevent flooding in the city.Box: Water level of Sukhna LakeJuly 6 ———————- 1,157.3 feetJuly 7 ———————- 1,157.2 feetJuly 8 ———————- 1,157.2 feetJuly 9 ———————- 1,157.2 feetJuly 10 ——————— 1,157.2 feetJuly 11 ——————— 1,158.2 feetJuly 12 ——————— 1,158.2 feet
