The Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, 5 October 2026, formally notified the Jammu and Kashmir Common Duct Policy 2026 — a framework that mandates shared underground utility corridors for power, water, telecom, gas, and digital networks across the union territory. The policy, issued as Government Order No. 199-JK(HUD) of 2026, is designed to permanently end the cycle of agencies repeatedly excavating finished roads for separate utility installations.

What the Policy Mandates

The Common Duct Policy requires that shared utility ducts be integrated into the design stage of all new urban, industrial, and housing projects. For existing high-traffic roads, the policy outlines a phased retrofitting approach. The shared corridors will house multiple services — electricity cables, fibre lines, water pipes, gas pipelines, and sewage systems — within a single unified underground structure, eliminating the need for fragmented, agency-specific excavations.

Crucially, the policy mandates that these ducts be made available on a transparent, non-exclusive, and non-discriminatory basis, meaning no single utility provider can monopolise the shared infrastructure.

Key Operational Features

The framework introduces single-window Right of Way (RoW) clearances, reducing bureaucratic friction for utility agencies seeking access to the corridors. Cost-sharing arrangements among participating providers will distribute the financial burden of civil works, while digital asset mapping will be enabled through the Call Before You Dig platform — a real-time registry designed to prevent accidental damage during future excavations.

The Office of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a post on X, described the notification as 'a major step towards modern urban infrastructure, efficient utility management and cleaner cityscapes in Jammu and Kashmir,' adding that the policy followed approval by the Council of Ministers.

Why This Matters for J&K's Urban Landscape

Repeated road digging by different agencies — each laying or repairing a separate utility line — has long been a source of traffic disruption, dust, noise, and road-surface degradation across Srinagar and other urban centres in J&K. The new policy directly addresses this by making shared duct usage the default for all new linear infrastructure. Overhead wire clutter, a persistent aesthetic and safety concern, is also expected to diminish as utilities shift underground over time.

This move aligns with central directives under the Right of Way Rules, which encourage or mandate common utility corridors in highway, railway, and smart city projects. Notably, several Indian states and smart-city missions have piloted similar frameworks, but formal policy notification at the UT level represents a structured, enforceable commitment rather than an ad hoc arrangement.

Impact on Costs and Connectivity

By sharing civil infrastructure, the policy is expected to reduce both capital and operational expenditure for utility agencies. Fewer road cuts mean lower maintenance spending for the public works department, while better-protected underground assets are projected to lower utility operation and maintenance costs over time. The integration of digital connectivity infrastructure into the same corridors is also seen as a direct enabler of broadband expansion and digital connectivity in underserved parts of the union territory.

With the policy now notified, implementation guidelines and agency coordination protocols will be the next critical step in determining how quickly the framework translates from order to outcome on J&K's roads.