Achi news desk-
The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has expedited the work to digitally map all the underground utility lines of roads across the twin cities. The population of the twin towns has been growing rapidly, as a result, the amount of underground utilities provided has also seen a significant increase in the last few decades.
However, the civic body does not have accurate maps of underground water pipes and drainage, and as a result there have been several cases where underground cables of various utilities such as internet and power cables, water, drainage and gas lines continue to suffer unintentional damages in during repair and excavation work causing a huge inconvenience to citizens.
“The data from the mapping software will not only provide accurate and detailed information about the number of utility lines on any given road and their exact underground location, but can also be used to keep track of the work done on each road.” said the municipal commissioner-Sanjay Katkar.
The digital mapping project is also an integral part of Prime Minister Gati Shakti’s ambitious Master Plan launched in 2021 with a focus on improving coordination, planning and implementation of infrastructure projects that require a host of regulatory approvals such as environmental clearance, land acquisition. transactions, moving utilities, specifications and drawings.
“The mapping is carried out under the wing of a specialist consultant. Apart from the clear paths of all the utility lines that go under the roads, mapping will also keep a record of the depth at which the lines are laid, their diameter and their exact location so that they are not accidentally damaged while digging for a project.” said the City Engineer – Deepak Khambit.
Furthermore, the mapping data collected by all municipal bodies will be an essential asset for all state and central government departments to have visibility of each other’s activities providing information when planning and implementing projects in a comprehensive manner.
