Dangling cables pose threat in Hathi, Beri Gate areas in Amritsar

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Amritsar, June 21

As is evident from cobwebs of cables hanging on electricity and streetlight poles, it is a free-for-all situation in the city. It seems private internet, telecom and cable network providers do not consider it necessary to seek permission from the local Municipal Corporation (MC) for installation of cables.

While these dangling cables have become a nuisance for local residents, the MC is incurring revenue losses because these private operators are not paying it anything. In case they need permission to lay underground cables, they must pay the MC a certain amount.

Hundreds of unauthorised cables are tied to electricity poles in the Hathi Gate and Beri Gate areas.

Residents say the department concerned had been provided huge funds under the heritage and smart city projects but the problem of dangling cables had not been addressed so far.

“It is not that difficult to lay these cables underground. One can see the mess of tangled wires all around,” a resident, Joginder Singh said, adding that the city would look beautiful if all these cables were removed.

A shopkeeper in the Beri Gate area, Raghbir Singh, said, “The wires are dangling so low that one can easily touch them while moving on road.” He said every now and then, employees of private internet companies come to install new cables.

The residents have demanded that the MC should act tough against all private companies and remove cables from electricity poles. “After all cables are removed, the power corporation should repair transmission wires as these pose a risk to residents,” said another resident Harkawal Singh.