Housing ministry pitches for common duct norms for telecom facilities

Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra on Friday called for making telecom connectivity part of common ducts inside new buildings.

He said digital connectivity has become one of the basic amenities like electricity and water connections in homes.

"This is new India. We cannot do without it (telecom connectivity). Any new building that we are going to construct, every house, every room must have connectivity. Like you cannot do without electricity, like you cannot do without water, so is the telecom connectivity," Mishra said at a Broadband India Forum event.

The National Digital Communications Policy 2018 proposes to set up common service ducts and utility corridors in all new city and high road projects and related elements.

Mishra said smart roads are already being built in smart cities where there is a common duct which carries all kinds of cables and connection services.

He said the provision of common duct is preventing roads from damages.

"To bring it (common duct for telecom) into the building, we will not only start with giving advisory but we will also make it a part of building bye-laws. Along with the Ministry of Telecom we would like to give some kind of incentive also so that this becomes normal," Mishra said.

He said he has already held discussions with town and country planning organisation to make provisions for telecom connectivity.

The provision for telecom connectivity in buildings is expected to enhance in-building coverage and reduce the cost of installing connections inside the premises.