Multi-utility ducts to reduce traffic jams due to road diggings

NEW DELHI: Aiming to make Delhi safer, future-ready and organised, the Delhi government has decided to develop Multi-utility Ducts (MUDs) across the capital, with shared underground corridors for various essential services. At technically suitable locations, these ducts can be used for electricity cables, water and gas lines, fire-hydrant networks and other services.

The government said that the ducts would reduce repeated road digging and repairs, minimise traffic disruptions and help maintain road strength. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting.

CM Rekha Gupta said the initiative would create safe, well-organised and sustainable infrastructure while keeping future needs in mind. Shared underground corridors would enable better coordination among agencies and make maintenance and future expansion of utility networks easier. The system would also reduce the possibility of accidental damage to utility lines during excavation.

An expert technical committee would be constituted, comprising officials from discoms, the Delhi Jal Board, the Public Works Department and other departments. The committee would oversee and recommend construction and expansion of the ducts. Their technical design would include provisions for ventilation, fire safety, maintenance access and emergency response. The initiative would be implemented on a pilot basis on 310-metre and 560-metre stretches of Esplanade Road and Mor Sarai Road in Chandni Chowk, respectively. Work on both is set to begin soon.