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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to use the cross ducting system for various cable lines running under public roads, to avoid digging of the roads when these cables require repairs.

Consequently, contractors engaged to construct new roads will be required to incorporate pipe ducts so that such cable lines can run freely and can be replaced or repaired conveniently, without interfering with the road itself. SVR Srinivas, additional municipal commissioner, said, "The quality of the road deteriorates in cross-sectional digging. To address this problem in the long run, we have instructed contractors to use piped cross ducting whether for asphalt or cement concrete roads."

Currently, the BMC is undertaking the improvement or construction of about 1,000 roads at a cost of INR 3,000 crore. "We are going to use such cross ducting in the construction of all roads," he said. Various utilities regularly dig public roads to lay optical and power cable lines, causing serious inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists. This affects the soil strata, weakening and affecting the balance. Often, after the cable work is done, the road stretches are left in a pitiable condition, even leading to accidents that have resulted in loss of life.

According to civic officials, about 400 km of road are dug up every year for such work which has been a major concern over the past couple of years. Last year, the civic body said it was considering introducing horizontal directional drilling for laying cables to avoid digging of roads. Meanwhile, the BMC has also instructed all the contractors under the defect liability period (DLP) to repair the roads that they have been working on.

These works are in addition to the preventive maintenance work the civic body is carrying out at a cost of INR 28 crore. "All this will be completed by May-end," Srinivas said. The BMC has also allocated a similar amount for repair of potholes during the monsoon.

Source-On Request