Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): With heavy rainfall predicted over Punjab and surrounding regions on October 6 and 7, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has announced plans to release an additional 40,000 cusecs of water from the floodgates of Bhakra and Pong dams. This measure aims to manage rising water levels in the reservoirs and reduce the risk of sudden flooding downstream.
Officials said that 8,000 cusecs of extra water will be discharged from Bhakra dam around midday on Saturday, while Pong dam will release 32,000 cusecs through its spillways. Following this release, total outflows will increase to 44,000 cusecs from Bhakra and 50,000 cusecs from Pong. The decision was taken during a technical committee meeting of the BBMB to proactively manage dam capacity ahead of the expected rains.
The Ranjit Sagar dam on the Ravi River has also increased its discharge from 20,362 cusecs to 37,686 cusecs, a flow expected to continue through Saturday.
These preemptive water releases are intended to free up storage space in the reservoirs, particularly as heavy rain is forecast across the catchment areas of the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Current water levels at these dams are close to their maximum safe limits, with Bhakra at 1,672.88 feet (danger level 1,680 feet), Pong at 1,388.47 feet (danger level 1,390 feet), and Ranjit Sagar at 1,713.64 feet (danger level 1,731.98 feet).
Although the controlled releases will lower dam water levels, they will increase river flows downstream, potentially affecting flood-prone areas. Authorities have instructed deputy commissioners across 17 districts, including Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran, to stay alert and prepare for any eventualities, especially since these districts had suffered significant damage during floods in August and September.
Officials remain vigilant as the region prepares for the impact of the approaching heavy rains.
