'Call Before U Dig' app to prevent damages to infra

CHENNAI: Frequent digging of roads in the State will soon become a thing of past as the central government has instructed the State governments to roll out 'Call Before U Dig' (CBuD) mobile application to prevent damages to already existing infrastructures while digging roads and public places.

"As you may be aware that various agencies carry out excavation in roads and public places to construct infrastructure across the country, wherein the excavating agencies often damage the already existing infra of other utility asset owners causing huge economic losses, inconvenience to citizens and associated business losses to other stakeholders. This may be due to lack of knowledge about the existing underlying infra of other asset owners or lack of Standard Operating procedures (SOPs) to connect excavating agencies with other utility asset owners having Optical Fibre Cables Water Pipelines, Electric Cables, Gas Pipelines and others," K Rajaraman, secretary, Ministry of Communications and Department of Telecommunications, said in his missive to Chief Secretaries.

He added that in Telecom Sector, nearly 10 lakh Optic Fiber Cable Cuts happen every year across India, cousing Rs 3,000 crore wasteful expenses in repair for Telecom Service Providers every year. Similar damages happen to Electrical cables, water pipelines, sewerage pipelines and others.

To address these issues of coordination between excavation agencies and asset owner agencies, department of telecommunications has created "Call Before u Dig" (CBuD) Mobile app, which provides an interface for excavating agencies or contractors to alert owners of existing utility assets about their upcoming excavation route. "The moment an excavation agency indicates an excavation, concerned local officer will be instantaneously alerted by CBub with contact phone of the excavation agency. The local officer is expected to contact the excavation agency and jointly ensure that excavation is done without damaging the underground," the letter said.

The system is already in use on a pilot the Gujarat and union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The central government requested the State governments to appoint nodal officers. It also pointed out that Indian Telegraph Infrastructure Safety Rules, 2022 mandating use of CBuD and casting liability on excavation agencies is likely to be notified by December 15. This will be circulated to mates for taking necessary action to mandate CBuD.