Mumbai’s endless road-digging may finally stop as BMC plans policy to fix utility lines
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to introduce a new trenching policy for Mumbai aimed at tackling frequent road digging for utility lines. According to Mumbai municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide, the new policy is expected to be finalized by September 1 and implemented for utility agencies after the standing committee's approval.
The policy seeks to streamline the process, eliminate human interventions, and incentivize the use of dedicated utility ducts for better road quality. A utility duct will be a dedicated corridor of pipelines up to 300-350 mm in surface area, under the ground, reserved strictly for utility lines. The new policy aims to reduce the number of utility corridors, currently at 1,350 km, to bridge the gap of 700 km of roads needing dedicated utility corridors.
Additionally, agencies will have the option to repair the dug-up roads and receive compensation for their efforts under the new policy. The online portal for issuing permissions will make the process more efficient and 'faceless'.
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