This 3 km2 rain fed lake was created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream coming down from the Shivalik Hills.

To preserve its tranquillity, Corbusier insisted on two things: that it be forbidden for motorboats to circulate in the water, and for vehicular traffic to be prohibited on top of the dam (promenade).

The lake is fringed by a golf course to the south, and Nek Chand's famous Rock Garden of Chandigarh to its west.

Serious walkers pursue an exercise regime, families enjoy an evening stroll and nature lovers mingle with children on roller skates.

Sukhna is a sanctuary for many exotic migratory birds like the Siberian duck, storks and cranes, during the winter months.

During summers, there are streams of men, women, and children, from all walks of life offering voluntary service to desilt the lake bed for about three months.

[4] The lake is facing serious issues like weed overgrowth,[5] catchment adequacy[6] and silting[7] that are significantly shrinking its size and depth.

A project team, under Parasu Ram Mishra, was deployed to address the issue and take remedial measures, which halted the sedimentation, for a while.