Monsoon set to enter Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana

3 min readJul 1, 2026 02:41 PM IST

The department has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph from July 1 onwards. (Photo/PTI)

The southwest monsoon is set to advance further into north India, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh, on Tuesday forecasting favourable conditions for its arrival in parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh over the next three to four days.

The weather office has also forecast a significant increase in rainfall activity across the region between July 2 and July 6, with heavy rain likely at isolated places.

In a special weather bulletin, the IMD said the southwest monsoon has advanced into more parts of Madhya Pradesh, the remaining parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, parts of Uttar Pradesh, and some areas of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. The northern limit of the monsoon currently passes through Surat, Indore, Sagar, Sidhi, Azamgarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Dehradun, Mandi and adjoining regions.

According to the department, atmospheric conditions have become favourable for the monsoon to advance further into the remaining parts of north India, including parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, as well as Jammu and Kashmir, and the remaining areas of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, during the next three to four days.

For Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana, the IMD has forecast light to moderate rain at isolated places on June 30, followed by a gradual increase in rainfall activity. Moderate rain is likely at a few places on July 1, while many places across the three regions are expected to receive rainfall between July 2 and July 6.

The department has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph from July 1 onwards.

Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Punjab on July 2, 3, 4 and 6. Haryana and Chandigarh are expected to receive heavy rain at isolated places between July 2 and July 6.

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The IMD has warned that the wet spell may lead to waterlogging in low-lying areas, traffic congestion due to slippery roads and reduced visibility, and short-term disruptions to civic services such as water and electricity supply. Damage to harvested crops left in the open is also likely.

The weather department has advised farmers not to leave harvested crops in the open and to avoid applying fertilisers and pesticides during the rainy spell. Residents have been urged to avoid venturing into waterlogged areas, stay away from rivers and other water bodies, refrain from taking shelter under trees or weak structures during thunderstorms, and drive cautiously during periods of heavy rain.

The IMD said district-wise forecasts and warnings for Punjab and Haryana have also been issued separately, and further updates will be released as the monsoon advances across the region.

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Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.

Professional Background

Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.

Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.

Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:

1. Investigative & Financial Reporting

"Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.

"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control.

"Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.

2. Governance & Constitutional Status

"What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.

"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure.

"No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.

3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment

"Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.

"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network.

"Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.

4. Lifestyle & Local Trends

"Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.

"After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.

Signature Beat

Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.

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