The lakes in Chandigarh, especially Sukhna Lake and the Sector‑42 “New Lake”, are generally kept in relatively good shape for an Indian city, but they still face recurring issues of weed growth, siltation, and occasional pollution. Overall, they look clean and well‑maintained on the surface and are popular for morning walks, jogging and boating, yet long‑term conservation and systematic upkeep remain a challenge.
Sukhana Lake
Sukhna Lake, the flagship water body of Chandigarh, has reasonably good water quality on paper, with studies showing dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) within acceptable limits for recreation and wildlife. However, it suffers from heavy weed overgrowth and siltation, which have reduced its size and depth over years and periodically make the water look murky or choked.
Recent audits have flagged that maintenance is ad hoc: there is no proper long‑term restoration plan, and weed‑removal and de‑weeding have not been done regularly. On the plus side, the administration does periodically organise cleaning drives and de‑weeding before monsoon, and citizen‑led and institutional clean‑up campaigns (NCC, NGOs, etc.) regularly remove floating plastic and debris around the lake.
Other lakes and green-belt water bodies
Besides Sukhna, Chandigarh has smaller urban lakes and water bodies in sectors like Sector 42 (New Lake) and nearby gardens, which are usually clean and well‑landscaped, with flowerbeds, walking tracks and seating. These are often used for morning walks, birdwatching and small family outings, and the municipal corporation has been asked to keep them better cleaned and better fenced.
However, like many urban lakes, they can get littered with plastic waste on busy weekends, and occasional reports point to sporadic faecal‑coliform or wastewater‑related issues linked to nearby drains.
Overall Imperssion for visitors
For a casual visitor, Chandigarh’s lakes feel clean, green and well‑designed, especially during weekdays and early mornings. But if you look closely, you may still notice floating trash, patches of weeds and uneven maintenance, signalling that the city is trying but still struggling to keep these water bodies truly pristine in the long run.
