As heavy monsoon showers lash North India, Chandigarh’s natural drainage system — its network of choes (seasonal rivulets) — has once again proven crucial in keeping the city from flooding.
Chandigarh has five major choes, including Sukhna Choe, N-Choe, Patiala Ki Rao, and Dhanas Choe, that act as stormwater highways, carrying rainwater into the Ghaggar river system.
These choes are Chandigarh’s safety valves. Without them the low-lying areas would be submerged after every heavy downpour.
Sukhna Choe also feeds into the iconic Sukhna Lake, while N-Choe carries a bulk of the stormwater through the heart of the city to Mohali.
A video on social media shows how monsoon rains are carried out in them to prevent the city from flooding and choking.Netizens stress that the city must protect and rejuvenate these rivulets. “Choes are not just storm drains; they are ecological assets. If we conserve them, they will conserve us,” commented one. Another wrote: “What a great town planning could do!”.
As the rains continue, Chandigarh’s choes remain its quiet guardians, shielding the city from waterlogging and flooding.
Mandip Singh Brar, Chief Secretary (in-charge), UT Chandigarh, has directed officials to continuously assess and monitor waterlogging, with special attention to vulnerable points, reports PTI.
He instructed that water levels at Patiala Ki Rao (seasonal stream) be closely tracked and timely warnings issued to low-lying areas, if required.
The police department was asked to ensure proper traffic regulation and safety measures in waterlogged stretches.
The health department was directed to ensure an adequate supply of medicines and staff, keeping in view the possible increase in patient inflow from neighboring states due to the recent heavy rains.
Government departments were also asked to maintain the availability of emergency response teams, deploy machinery for quick relief operations, and avoid creating unnecessary panic.
Notably, Punjab is under the grip of massive floods caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets due to heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
