New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the ‘Call Before u Dig’ (CBuD) app on Wednesday to enhance cooperation between excavation agencies and underground utility owners in order to prevent utility damage due to digging.
Why is the app Required?
According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, the Call Before u Dig mobile application, an initiative of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, aims to prevent damage to underlying assets such as optical fiber cables caused by uncoordinated digging and excavation, which results in losses of about Rs 3,000 crore annually.
It will prevent possible corporate losses and lower citizens’ discomfort owing to less disruption in key services such as roads, telecommunications, water, gas, and power.
How does the app Function?
The CBuD app will connect excavators and asset owners via SMS/Email notifications and click-to-call to ensure the safety of subsurface assets during planned excavations across the country.
It attempts to provide a point of contact for excavating contractors to enquire about existing subsurface utilities before beginning excavation work. Utilities owners can also learn about impending work at the site.
