New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) In an effort to minimise traffic disruptions caused by scattered road-digging projects, the Delhi government is developing multi-utility ducts that will feature shared underground corridors, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Thursday. Gupta said that the cabinet has approved the proposal and a pilot project for this new road intervention will first be launched in the Chandni Chowk area. “We want to create infrastructure that is safe, well-organised and sustainable, keeping future requirements in mind. The multi-utility duct is part of this vision,” Gupta said. She said the system would enable better coordination among different agencies and create a more organised framework for developing underground utility networks in Delhi. At technically suitable locations, these ducts can be used for laying underground electricity cables, water and gas pipelines, fire-hydrant networks and other essential utility services. “With shared underground corridors available, maintenance of utility networks and their future expansion would become easier and faster. It would also help reduce the possibility of accidental damage to utility lines during excavation and improve coordination among various civic and utility agencies,” Gupta said in a statement. According to the plan, an expert technical committee would soon be constituted for the entire system. The committee would include officials from power discoms, the Delhi Jal Board, the Public Works Department and other departments. “Based on the committee’s supervision and recommendations, work related to the construction and expansion of multi-utility ducts in different parts of the capital would be taken forward. Technical design of the multi-utility ducts would include essential provisions for ventilation, fire safety, easy access for maintenance and emergency response,” the chief minister further said. In Chandni Chowk, two stretches measuring 310 metres on Esplanade Road and 560 metres on Mor Sarai Road have been proposed for the pilot. Based on the experience gained from these two pilot corridors, multi-utility ducts would be constructed in other parts of Delhi. The chief minister said the multi-utility duct initiative marks an important shift towards coordinated urban utility planning. PTI SSM SSM MPL MPL
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