Open House: What can be done to address the issue of dangling electricity and cable wires across city?

Promote underground cabling system

As reported by The Tribune in its ongoing series, a persistent problem plaguing the city is the presence of cable TV and telephone wires hanging precariously from poles and trees. This issue has become a significant nuisance, not only due to its unsightly appearance but also because of the potential risks it poses to public safety. The tangled mess of wires not only disturbs the city’s aesthetics but also hampers the movement of pedestrians and vehicles. To address the issue, the authorities should collaborate with cable TV and telephone service providers to establish stricter regulations regarding wire installation and maintenance. It is essential to ensure that the service providers adhere to specific guidelines such as proper bundling and securing of wires, regularly conducting inspections and promptly removing any unnecessary or outdated cables. Additionally, efforts should be made to promote the underground cabling system. This involves investing in the infrastructure required for burying the cables underground, thereby eliminating the need for wires hanging from poles and trees. While this may require significant initial investment, the long-term benefits in terms of aesthetics, safety and efficiency would outweigh the costs. Awareness campaigns can also play a vital role in addressing this issue. Educating the general public about the dangers posed by dangling wires and encouraging them to report any instances of negligence or non-compliance can help in bringing about a positive change. Moreover, the authorities can establish a dedicated helpline or online platform where citizens can report instances of hazardous wire installations, allowing swift action to be taken. Lastly, regular monitoring and enforcement by the concerned authorities is crucial to tackle the problem. By conducting periodic inspections and imposing fines on service providers indulging in the violation of regulations, a sense of accountability can be established. Moreover, conducting regular audits of the cable TV and telephone network infrastructure will help identify areas that require immediate attention and facilitate timely maintenance.

Ekamnoor Singh

Situation precarious during monsoon

With monsoon season arriving in the northern parts of India, the already precarious situation around the cable TV and telephone wires hung carelessly from poles and trees becomes even more dangerous and life-threatening. There can be disastrous consequences because of the uncontrollable winds accompanying the rains these days. Being a resident of the city, I have a first-hand experience of the dangers this threat poses. All one can do as a citizen is to inform the authorities concerned to remove the ruinous wire connections in or around his locality. These cables are never laid in a secure manner in the first place. Future expansions are done later to meet the rising demand and the chaotic bundle of cables becomes thicker and thicker. Therefore, the municipal authorities should take prompt action to avoid any untoward occurrence because of the hanging wires in the future.

Izleen

Lack of rules on installation of wires

Electricity wires are an essential part of the communication infrastructure of any city, but in India, they often lead to a chaotic and messy appearance. There is no clear pattern or rule for the installation of wires in the country. The wires are connected from one roof to another and from one pole to another, without any regard for safety or aesthetics. This makes the city look disturbed and disorganised. The reason for this situation can be traced back to history. When electricity was first invented, it was accessible only to the urban regions. Later on, as the demand for electricity increased, people started to install wires indiscriminately. Private companies also took advantage of this and provided electricity to remote areas. However, this also resulted in a lot of illegal connections and power thefts. There are some areas in India that have installed underground electricity wires, which requires huge investment but hampers the aesthetic of the city. Underground wires also have other benefits, such as reducing the risk of electrocution, fire and damage from natural disasters. In conclusion, electricity wires are a necessary but problematic feature of Indian streets. They reflect the lack of planning and regulation in the development of the country’s infrastructure. There is a need for more awareness and action to improve the situation and make the city look more beautiful and safe.

Bavneet Kaur

Follow the BMC example

The government is paying little attention to the tangled wires of electricity, Internet, telephone, TV cable, etc., that have today engulfed every street and corner of the city. The wires and cables may be of different sizes but are equally irksome to locals and tourists. The solution to the problem is to ensure underground wring in all parts of the city. Residents should repeatedly ask the Telephone Department to remove their wires not in use and disallow TV cable operators to hang other accessories from their cable network with cable wires. In September 2022, Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC), in a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister, decided to cut all overhead wires except electricity wires in the city so that skyline should be clear from the ground level. Is the CM of our state capable of issuing a similar order?

Naresh Johar

Intensify awareness drives

In order to end the nuisance of cable TV and telephone wires hanging precariously from poles and trees across the city, the first step that can be taken is to impose penalties on defaulters. Secondly, swift action should be taken by the authorities concerned by themselves removing the hanging wires wherever they can find them in any nook and corner of the city. Lastly, awareness must be created among residents to report to the authorities concerned about such dangerous wires so that timely action can be taken.

Sanjay Chawla

Ward councillors must supervise action

The government authorities like the MC and the concerned stakeholders like cable and TV operators should not be apathetic towards the ordeal faced by the residents due to the ‘Cable mess’. Instead, defaulters must be heavily penalised for their careless and casual approach in establishing cable, TV connections, leaving wires hanging at inconvenient, low levels. The MC officials should not wait for any mishap to occur and act with alacrity to resolve the locals’ grave grouse of insecurity while commuting and business losses due to the low-hanging cables. The problem should be redressed in an area-wise manner, with the ward councillor being the supervisor, overseeing the timely completion of the corrective process by the respective company’s workers. Strict regulations and warnings regarding the installation of cables, their levelling, insulation and maintenance should be in place.

Anshika Kohli

‘Garbage’ on city’s walls and poles

When in the late 1940s, the Amritsar Municipal Committee introduced electricity for interested consumers, I clearly remember how methodically they hammered equidistant steel hooks into the bare partition walls of the houses and clipped the thickly insulated electricity cable on to a strong steel wire passing through the hooks. The arrangement was quite ornamental and enhanced the looks of the streets. Consistent lack of this kind of aesthetic sense is responsible for multiple messes of dangling cables brought to public notice, courtesy The Tribune. In fact, routing of wires and cables is a highly artistic and skilled task permitting no cuts and corners. Unfortunately, vendors of internet services, each with their own cable, find it convenient to load them on to the main electricity wire, never minding if it is illegal or even dangerous. Some of them hang their leftover loops on the electricity poles to serve as handy stock for later use. This practice has, over the passage of time, resulted in the shabbiest and unsightly heaps of wires that we see on tilted poles in the city everywhere. Perfectly vertical and well aligned poles of equal heights are a delightful feature of civil engineering, but Amritsar city lacks that. Whatever, the Municipal Corporation should remove these eyesores from public view. Power cables must be laid underground. It will also eliminate any chances of leakage or pilferage. Overhead wires invite pigeons and a permanent line of droppings on the road (or passers-by). The problem has been compounded by the presence of hundreds of multi-meter boxes that now dot the walled city with an avoidable network of cables. The scheme to introduce smart energy meters should, in the process, do away with these eyesores as well. Internet wires may be bunched up and covered under plastic pipes. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Prof Mohan Singh

Lack of policy on laying wires

Cable TV and telephone wires, hanging precariously from poles and trees, continue to be a nuisance across the city, as reported by The Tribune, in its ongoing series. Various steps can be taken to address the issue. Primarily, the government can order electricity agencies to employ modern quality techniques like laying cables underground or ducting all of them in a hollow pipe. Moreover, I think there are no proper policies for the telecommunication concentrator to make proper arrangements to install wires or enhance the infrastructure. Therefore, some more of these kinds of steps can be taken to avoid inconvenience to citizens.

Jasleen Kaur

Penalise the defaulters

Wires hanging hazardously from electricity poles in the district not only pose threat to the passers-by but also distort the skyline and make it an eyesore. There is no systematic method through which dangling wires can be sorted out. In the absence of rules and regulations required to be followed, private companies like Internet providers, telecom and cable operators haphazardly hanging wires by taking support of electricity poles, trees, facade of commercial buildings which ultimately annoy shopkeepers and residents of concerned areas. However, this problem can be surmounted by following ways. The Municipal Corporation must design a pattern by following which these wires can be hanged gracefully or there should be a wire duct after certain distance. Private companies must be levied with penalty for their erratic behaviour. Underground laying of wires can be an option. A single spark can wreak havoc for residents and may reduce the heaps of commodities placed in adjacent shops into ashes. To curb the menace, structured motif is a need of the hour and urgent implementation of safety measures is needed.

Sammy Cheema

Lay underground cables

Low-hanging cable wires along with high-tension electric poles are an open threat for the safety of citizens crossing the road, besides causing public obstruction. May it be a developed city like Mumbai or a developing Punjab, there are many reported cases of fatality due to electrocution by rogue wires, unmaintained and hazardous. The government must urgently find a way to resolve this issue. There are some ways in which the Punjab government can stop this mishap from happening. Firstly, the administration system can devise a certain height for installing electric poles. By this, people will be safer and secure even in unexpected circumstances of falling of cable. Another efficient way is to support underground cables, eliminating any chances of hanging death. Countries like Germany and Netherlands have already adopted this method, which is a one-time investment, hence, a sign of a developed nation even in some states of India such as Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar and Porbandar. The government can provide incentives and support to utility companies to gradually transition from overhead power lines to underground systems, particularly in densely populated areas or areas prone to extreme weather conditions. And last but not least, awareness and prevention are always better than cure.

Lakshit Jindal

Eliminate redundant infrastructure

Tangled wires of PSPCL, cable TV, and telecom companies precariously hanging from electric poles and trees threaten every moment to pull down the entire network, especially during the rainy season, causing even loss of human life as well as property. At some points, such wires hang quite close to the ground level, thereby threatening the life of pedestrians and motorists. It has been the responsibility of the local municipality to manage all such tangled webs in collaboration with the companies concerned. However, lackluster attitude of municipal authorities in the past has resulted in all this mess. No doubt, removing these eye sores is a daunting task involving a major effort and substantial financial outlay on the part of cash-starved municipalities. Firstly, to address the issue, a thorough inspection needs to be carried out of these tangled webs in the whole city. Simultaneously, all the companies concerned should be directed to streamline their infrastructure by removing redundant and unnecessary infrastructure in a specified period. Secondly, all these cables and wires should be identified, isolated, and labelled by type, avoiding sharp bends along with proper insulation of all high-tension wires. Lastly, most of these overhead cables should be put under the ground thereby hiding power strips and plugs, shortening their length, wherever required.

Dr Kulwant Singh Phull

Switch over to fibre optics

Overhead tangled wires are a common sight across streets and bazaars in almost all the cities. Haphazard laying of electricity poles and unplanned telecom, TV, internet cables not only give an ugly look to roads and localities but also causes severe traffic hazards apart a major risk to human lives. Quite often, loosely fastened wires are not insulated properly which leads to incidents of electrocution and even fire due to short circuiting. From time to time, The Tribune has vividly featured in its city editions the concerns of public about this grave problem, calling for urgent attention of the civic authorities. The complaints of erratic network of wires and cables dangling in crowded areas, especially busiest markets, have been raised by shopkeepers and the visitors as well, but no prompt action is taken. Strangely, apathetic service providers of internet, TV networks, mostly hailing from private sector, do not deploy enough junction boxes/ appropriate gadgets for giving onward connection to subscribers. They tie the cables /wires illegally with the poles erected for electricity supply or nearby trees for support, which is extremely fatal. Such installations become even more dangerous during rains, as the connecting joints/ sockets are not properly insulated or earthed and being excessively loaded get easily sparked. Despite several casualties reported, the administration remains stuck with deaf ears and fails to pay instant attention, perhaps waiting for the mishaps to occur. Moreover, majority of our cities are old, having narrow lanes and unplanned growth, they need prompt safety management as the streets and bazaars usually remain congested due to the flux of population. Therefore, in view of the manifold increase in the mobility on roads, infrastructure up-gradation is essential for easy access to markets and business centres, the concerned officials of various departments should be proactive at work to address the vital concerns with regard to maintaining the amenities. Municipal authorities must ensure that all service providers adhere to security measures while giving supply connections to the end users. With optimum focus on public safety, immediate steps be taken to remove the risky installations, wherever noted, through periodic security audit. Any violations of the standard norms should be viewed seriously. In this era of advanced technology, underground power cables in crowded areas is utmost necessary while rapid switch over to fibre optics can provide an impeccable solution to the problem of messy wires.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Ensure laying of underground wires

The civic issue of low-lying wires and tangled cables hung haphazardly by cable and telecom companies like BSNL, Fastway, Airtel and Jio on electricity poles, roadside trees and walls of private buildings has raised serious concern in cities and towns across the state, including Jalandhar. The situation becomes more chaotic during the rainy season, particularly in the narrow and congested streets and lanes. It not only poses a safety challenge but also causes inconvenience to residents, visitors and shopkeepers. Moreover, this unsightly infrastructure mars the ambience of shops, malls and houses. The exposed wires can cause a short circuit and result in fires that can result in loss of property and precious human lives. Shopkeepers whose business is hit hard as customers dislike visiting their shops with intertwined wires dangling in the front, have complained to the authorities concerned multiple times but they have not taken any remedial steps. Working in tandem with these cable and telecom companies, the Municipal Corporation should ensure that the wires are laid underground so that the sufferers can breathe a sigh of relief and the ‘Smart City’ can maintain its aesthetic beauty.

D S Kang

Act against erring business houses

The problem of tangled webs of wires on electricity poles and trees in crowded markets and bazaars of Jalandhar city presents a highly unseemly sight, thanks to the apathetic and indifferent attitude of the cable and telecom companies and the MC authorities. These companies have also installed additional poles with impunity to accommodate more connections for earning huge profits. Apart from hampering the business of shopkeepers, it causes visual pollution and becomes a cause of traffic snarls, accidents, electrical hazards and fire outbreak at congested places, especially during the windy monsoon months. Shopkeepers and residents have constantly voiced their concern about this illegal infrastructure but no steps have been taken to address the menace. As many of them have stoically accepted the unavoidable reality, others still raise objections. Isn’t it the constitutional duty of the MC to prevent the unwarranted proliferation of poles and wires? If we want to emulate the aesthetic landscape of residential and commercial places in the western world, it needs immediate measures to streamline the entire system on priority basis. Municipal authorities should take strict action against those responsible for the menace. It should formulate a comprehensive policy for the installation and management of underground cable network connections and enforce its strict implementation.

Parvaan Singh Kang

Penalise firms for not complying with order

The menace of cable TV and telephone wires hanging perilously from various poles and trees in the city needs to be eradicated on priority basis. The Jalandhar Tribune is making laudable efforts to bring it to the notice of the public and the administration through its regular column titled ‘CABLE MESS’ to address the issue. A reckless web of wires hanging from almost every electricity pole and tree gives a filthy look and is a major bottleneck in making an image of the city clean and beautiful. Moreover, these cables are a potential danger to the safety and security of the residents. It is unfortunate that the administration is not capable of taking suitable action against the cable and telephone companies responsible for such an illegal mess in the city as is evident from the statement made by city Mayor himself. He has admitted that no prior permission is obtained by the defaulting companies for the last five years and open violation of law and rules is going on unabated. Now the administration needs to wake up from deep slumber for permanently eradication of the menace. To start with, exemplary punishment must be imposed on all the defaulting stake holders while giving them time ultimatum for removing the cables. And to ensure that in future, no such violations take place anywhere in the city.

Jagdish Chander

Pass cables through underground pipes

For making Jalandhar Smart City, plenty of funds have been released to carry out development works by the Union Government, but whatever may be the reason ample funds have been utilised on various projects without going into the details of the projected, even though many projects hangs fire due to number of technical reasons. The issue Jalandhar Tribune has raised— cable mess and state of parks— is really appreciable and public in large number is responding to it. As everyone is keen to see development and beautification of the city, the telephone companies should come out with a new technology and install a dish type instrument on roof top for providing TV, internet and other connections related to the day to day working. Punjab State Power Corporation Limited should direct the department concerned to start with new project of covering all open joints of electricity cables with insulation tapes and similarly where the cables near the transformers are very close to the earth there the joints be properly taped to safe guard the masses from any mishap. The Municipal Corporation had earlier allowed the telephone companies to dig roads to lay wires. The P&T Department should allow private telephone companies to pass wires through already laid underground pipes. This strategy can certainly relive the masses in the city from cable mess in the public interest.

RAJAT KUMAR MOHINDRU

Audit works of all departments

The Town and Country Planning Department makes a master plan for a particular period for all cities where the current status and future planning of required grids are also made based on the load ability and consumption status of electricity in a particular area. In this master plan, all departments, include electricity, municipal corporation, revenue, public works, urban development authorities, etc. also prepare their individual plans. Once the master plan is prepared for a particular city, thereafter these departments start work based on the prepared plans. Unfortunately, there is a complete lack of coordination among all departments if any common programme is being implemented in any area. For example, it is PSPCL that governs the load ability issue of a particular area and put up poles, installs transformers & transmission wires, etc. wherever it is required but simultaneously it is the municipal corporation that takes care of street light concerns but poles remain the same. Now two departments are working on one pole and hence it creates a mess of electrical wires. Similarly, these are guidelines prepared by the telecommunication regularity authority of India if any service provider has to install any transmission tower, pole and lay fiber optics or cable wires in the dug pits. Local NOC is always required by all service providers. But the issue remains the same once any department or service provider commits a mistake by putting up poles in the wrong place in any area or installing wires on the wrong poles, none came to rectify. Hence, what is required is proper auditing of the works of all departments by their senior staff and thereafter by regularity authorities, only this can avoid unnecessary wires on poles.

Harvinder Singh Chugh

QUESTION

With charges of bribery against many SHOs, should the state government order a probe into similar cases in police stations, especially the ones where charged officials have been posted?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (July 6).