Five sluice gates of the Bhadbhada dam were opened on Monday evening, after the upper lake reached its full tank level. It was for the third time in this season that the gates of the Bhadbhada dam were opened, to let the excess rainwater outflow into Kaliasot reservoir. There is in total eleven gates over the dam.
After water level reached 1666.00 feet in the noon, the officials of Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) decided to open the gates and at 4 in the evening and two gates were opened but as the water level continued to rise the BMC authorities decided to open three more gates and at 5 pm three more gates were opened to make it to five gates, that remained open till 7.30 pm.
At this point the water level marginally came down and observing that two gates were closed and the remaining three gates remained opened till late in the night.
The gates were opened in presence of hundreds of localities who gathered there to see the spectacular view of the opening of the dam gates and water gushing through the gates with incredible force.
The people of the city came to know about the opening of the dam gates through social networking platform whatsapp on that news groups were flashing the news of dam gates opening since morning.
Before the gate was opened, a warning siren was sounded to alert the residents downstream.
The gates were opened for the first time after three years on July 12 that was followed for the second time on July 24 and on Monday it was for the third time in this season that the sluice gates of the Bhadbhada dam were opened.
Three gates were opened on July 12, while two gates were opened on July 24 and Monday August 1 five gates were opened.
It was in 2013, when Bhadbhada gates were opened six times during the monsoon period. Before , 2013, the gates were also opened in August 2012, when the water level in the Upper lake touched its full tank level for the first time since 2006. Prior to 2016, Upper lake had reached its full tank level in 2013, 2012, 2006, 2004 and 2002. last year in July, when the monsoon hit the State, the lake’s water level was 1,655 feet.
BMC informed that the water level in the 35 square km Upper lake increased due to heavy showers in the catchments area of the lake. Three gates were opened for few hours to subside the water level to some degree. The level came too close to the full tank level, and it was raining heavily so it was decided to open the gates. This was necessary as Bhopal is going through a flood like situation.