Srinagar, October 5: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has notified the Common Duct Policy 2026, aimed at ending the repeated excavation of roads for laying, repairing and expanding utility networks.
The policy provides for shared underground corridors where multiple services, including electricity, water, telecom, gas and other utilities, can be housed together. This is expected to reduce the need for different departments and service providers to repeatedly dig up roads after construction.
Approved by the Council of Ministers and notified by the Housing and Urban Development Department, the policy makes provisions for common ducts an integral part of the planning and design of new road projects. Existing infrastructure will also be brought under the system in a phased manner.
The framework includes single-window Right of Way clearances and arrangements for sharing costs among utility providers. It also proposes digital mapping through the “Call Before You Dig” platform, allowing agencies to identify underground utility networks before starting excavation.
The government expects the initiative to protect newly built roads, reduce maintenance and operational costs, minimise traffic disruption caused by road cutting and support more systematic urban development across Jammu and Kashmir.
The shared ducts will be accessible to participating utility providers on a transparent, non-exclusive and non-discriminatory basis.
The effectiveness of the policy will ultimately depend on its implementation across new projects and the gradual integration of existing utility infrastructure throughout the Union Territory.
