The Delhi government has approved a plan to develop multi-utility ducts comprising shared underground corridors to reduce traffic disruption caused by scattered road digging. The cabinet has cleared the proposal and a pilot project will be launched in the Chandni Chowk area, the chief minister Rekha Gupta said. The initiative forms part of a broader effort to create infrastructure that is safe, well organised and sustainable while catering to future needs. Officials indicated the approach aims to centralise utility placement beneath roads to limit repeated excavation.

At technically suitable locations the ducts will accommodate underground electricity cables, water and gas pipelines, fire-hydrant networks and other essential utility services. The system is intended to enable better coordination among different agencies and to provide an organised framework for developing and expanding underground utility networks across the capital. Technical design of the multi-utility ducts will include provisions for ventilation, fire safety and easy access for maintenance and emergency response. An expert technical committee will be constituted to oversee design and implementation.

The committee will include officials from power distribution companies, the Delhi Jal Board, the Public Works Department and other relevant departments and will supervise construction and expansion based on its recommendations. Authorities expect that shared corridors will make maintenance faster, allow smoother future expansion and reduce the risk of accidental damage to buried utility lines during excavation. Improved coordination among civic and utility agencies is cited as an additional benefit that should reduce the cumulative disruption from uncoordinated work.

For the pilot in Chandni Chowk two stretches have been proposed, measuring 310 metres on Esplanade Road and 560 metres on Mor Sarai Road. Based on the experience gained from these corridors, similar multi-utility ducts would be constructed in other parts of Delhi. The chief minister described the initiative as an important shift towards coordinated urban utility planning and said work will proceed under committee supervision.