Civic panel suggests duct system for roads

The state government-appointed Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) has finalised the guidelines about the duct system.

The state government-appointed Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) has finalised the guidelines about the duct system.

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The committee cleared the proposal on Friday and suggested the civic body to implement duct system on some roads to see the result before implemented in the entire city.

The committee has recommended that the civic body should shift dry utilities along road sides and implement it on a pilot basis. “We have cleared the draft of the guidelines about shifting utilities on either side of road, called duct system. It will be submitted to the municipal commissioner in the next STAC committee meeting,” said a committee member, on condition of anonymity.

The civic body has tried the system in eight to 10 roads in the city and the suburbs.

Of the 1,950-km of road network in the city, trenches have been dug on more than 450 km road. The excavation work undertaken for laying pipes, cables, and repairs by 37 utility providers, which include the civic department (water, storm water drain), telecom service providers, gas agencies, power companies.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is also considering implementing the duct system seriously to maintain road in proper manner.

The team of STAC inspected six arterial roads in the island city and the suburbs, in September last week and concluded that the city roads need to have duct system.