Hearing a public interest litigation, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre asking should common utility ducts be laid along highways to avoid re-digging. "Good idea. We issue a notice. Let the government respond in four weeks," Chief Justice SA Bobde remarked, in response to the petition filed by Bhubaneswar resident Haripriya Patel.
A utility duct is a passage built underground or above ground that houses utility lines for electricity, water supply, sewer functions, and communication lines like optical fibre, telephone cables, cable television etc.
"Authorities must provide for common utility corridors along the highways for all utilities in the construction plan of large infrastructure," the petition says.
Common ducts will avoid perennial maintenance work on highways because of re-digging by several departments to reach the lines, the petition said, adding they will also prevent accidents leading to deaths.
They will also avoid duplication of civil works for various essential public services, thus saving public funds. They will also result in real-time highway traffic management and uninterrupted telecom networks.
The proposal for common utility ducts has been under consideration since 2002, but yet to be approved due to lack of coordination between government ministries, the PIL added.
In 2016, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had issued guidelines to make construction of utility ducts mandatory in highway projects.
The petitioner also seeks the implementation of the 2016 guidelines.
"Medical Seats Should Not Go To Waste When Country Faces Shortage Of Doctors": Supreme Court "Is There A Proposal To Cut More Trees In Aarey?": Top Court Asks Maharashtra Health Of Farmer Leader Fasting For 25 Days Punjab's Responsibility: Top Court Parents On Mumbai Ferry Wanted To Toss Children In Sea. Rescuers Stopped Them "Who Was Driving?" JD Vance Slams 'Misleading' Headlines On Germany Attack Man Accidentally Drops iPhone In Temple Box. Why He Won't Get It Back Jailed Journalist Mahesh Langa Now Sent To Rajkot Cops' Custody In GST Case Big Cat Exchange: Madhya Pradesh To Give 2 Tigers, Get 2 Lions From Gujarat 4 Killed, 30 Injured As Mini Goods Vehicle Overturns In Chhattisgarh Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.