Optic Fibre Cables (OFCs) hanging precariously across Bengaluru have become a persistent safety hazard and urban blight, despite years of effort to bury them underground. Today, approximately 2,336 km of illegal cables dangle from trees, electric poles, and various public infrastructures. This issue came to a head in August 2023 when an electric pole, toppled by a concrete mixer ensnared in the cables, fell on a college student, leaving her with severe injuries. Another incident in Kadubeesanahalli saw a man trapped under a fallen pole intertwined with cables.
Despite Bengaluru’s Smart City roads incorporating underground utility ducts designed to house these cables, the problem persists due to a lack of enforcement and systemic inefficiencies. The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) had set a deadline of July 8 for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and cellular operators to remove illegal cables from electric poles—a deadline that has long passed without resolution.
Cellular operators argue that while they are willing to lay cables underground, ongoing Smart City works hinder their efforts. They claim it is more expensive to install unauthorized overhead cables and pay penalties, yet local TV networks often opt for the overhead route to cut costs. Chief Engineer of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Lokesh Mahadevaiah, insists that ISPs bear significant responsibility, stating that local networks constitute only a minor portion of these problematic cables. According to him, illegal cables are frequently cut, only to be reinstalled shortly after due to complaints about interrupted internet services.
V. Ravichandar, a key player in Bengaluru’s TenderSURE projects, advocates for stringent enforcement, pushing cables into the provided duct systems. While some agencies have utilized Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) for underground installations, misuse of permits remains an issue.
The lack of a coherent, enforced policy perpetuates the problem, affecting daily commuters and pedestrians who often find themselves entangled in low-hanging cables. There is an urgent need for clear accountability and stringent regulations to tackle this urban nuisance effectively.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/time-to-bury-the-cables-dangling-dangerously-in-bengaluru/article68465100.ece
Category : Bengaluru
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