Besides endangering the lives of pedestrians and two-wheeler riders, the illegal optical fibre cables that are carelessly slung over trees and poles are also an eyesore in many parts of the city. But the BBMP has for years turned a blind eye to them despite losing revenues. It now claims to be on a drive to remove them. But is this the long-term solution, ask Aknisree Karthik and Abilash Mariswamy.
Only a few months ago, on August 13 last year , a 44- year- old man, Gopal Rao, was crossing Double Road in Wilson Garden, when he became entangled in a low hanging cable and fell in the path of a speeding car that ran him over, killing him instantly .
While he lost his life, many others have been injured as a result of the low hanging optical fibre cables (OFCs) that are slung over trees and walls along footpaths and medians, endangering pedestrians and bikers alike. Ms Swathi, who often takes a walk in the city, complains that many have fallen because of the carelessly slung cables. And a pharmacist near Mathikere Circle, Rahgu recalls that recently a biker was injured when his helmet got stuck in an overhanging cable close to road.
“We have complained several times to the BBMP, but it doesn’t bother to do anything about the hanging cables and simply passes the buck on BESCOM,” he rues.
Besides being dangerous to pedestrians and bikers, the OFCs that are slung over trees, poles and walls in most parts of the city, including Koramangala, Majestic, Yeshwanthpur, Magrath Road and M G Road, are an eyesore, begging to be removed. But the authorities seem oblivious to their presence, although they claim to be tackling the menace at their own pace.
An estimated 12 lakh Internet users, 4000 software companies and around 1,500 businesses, hospitals and commercial establishments are dependent on the OFC network of the city. Going by the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (Regu lation of Cable Laying) Rules, 2015, it is mandatory for cable operators to get a license for laying their cables in the corporation area, and make sure they don't cause any inconvenience to the public or traffic by leaving sagging communication cables slung carelessly over electrical poles in the city.
But these rules seem to have gone over the head of most cable operators, who prefer to go their own way. Ask an OFC operator and he says it all boils down to the cost. “It would cost a minimum of Rs 600 a meter to lay the cables. Also if there was a problem with the cable we would have to dig underground to reach it, which would be time consuming. So it is easier for operators to leave the cables outside,” he maintains. Argues another operator, “ If we have to use the same cable from one house to another in a neighbourhood, it is cheaper to pull it across on the outside rather than underground. Even our customers prefer it this way.”
Urban expert, V Ravichandar observes that the problem lies with the small cable operators in the city, who prefer to take the shortcut instead of passing their cables through underground ducts, which they would have to pay for.
In his view, people need to take the initiative and force the operators to do the right thing in their own interests. “The dangling cables are a shame on the local agencies and a complete dereliction of duty by the officers,” he adds with disgust.
OFC companies robbing BBMP of revenues too
If the illegal cables slung over trees and walls are a danger to people and bikers, they are also costing the BBMP revenue as it is deprived of the fee due to it for laying of OFC cables underground. But ask its officers and they claim it lacks the manpower to tackle the illegal cable mafia in the city.
A senior official of the BBMP OFC Cell, however, claims things are changing. "The task of handling the illegal cable mafia, removing the cables and cylindrical cones and box type structures they use is now being given to the ward engineers concerned. They are the ones who are now responsible for tackling the menace," he says.
While he is not clear about the amount collected in fines from the cable operators or the number of police cases registered against them for hanging their cables dangerously from trees and poles, he believes the small time service providers resort to illegal means because of the cost involved in laying underground cables.
"To lay a metre of cable on a TenderSure road costs Rs 1,500 a metre and around Rs 850 for other roads in the city. So the small time players resort to illegal means to avoid paying this amount," he explains.
But he claims that since the BBMP came up with the option of applying online for laying of OFCs, more cable operators are coming forward to take it. “If the concerned service providers apply online and pay the deposit amount, the permission is granted in a matter of 15 to 20 days. With this more service providers are trying to lay their cables legally these days," he says.
As for the existing illegal cables , he claims the BBMP is on the job of removing them.” Two months ago we carried out a city-wide drive and removed the dangling cables in many areas. We shall soon repeat the drive and remove them as well as the boxes and cylindrical cones that go along with them,” he warns.
The officer also points out that the chairman of the BBMP’s taxation and finance has proposed amending the OFC policy to revise the charges and levy ten times the fixed charge as penalty on unauthorised overhead and underground OFC operators.
Going by him, at present permission is being granted for laying OFCs only on TenderSure roads. “We shall resume giving permission for other roads soon," he assures.
Cable con
- The city has around 3000 kms of legal Opitcal Fibre Cables and over 10,000 kms of illegal.
- There over 18 OFC companies in Bengaluru
- The BBMP has laid down over 30 conditions for OFC cable operators.
- It expected a revenue of over Rs 350 crore from OFC cables in 2017-18, but managed to collect only Rs 160 crore.
- This year it hopes to mop up Rs 200 crore from road cutting for laying of OFC cables.
- Last year the BBMP kicked off a drive to cut all dangling OFC cables on TenderSure roads and promised to do the drive in other areas too. But although some five months have gone by since, it has not bothered to go on such a massive drive.
Drive against illegal OFC cables will begin across city soon: Sampath Raj, Bengaluru Mayor
Be it trees , electric poles or private buildings, we see illegal cables dangling down from all of them. Why is that?
Yes, this is due to the illegal OFC menace. We have begun taking action against them at the ward level and in another few weeks we will be able to remove all of them across the city. Soon we will have a city-wide drive against illegal OFC cables.
Are small time OFC service providers resorting to illegal means due to the high cost involved in laying them underground?
No, this is not true. The BBMP charges very nominally for the laying of underground OFC cables.
How are you planning to curb the illegal OFC cable mafia?
Early this year we had a meeting with all OFC service providers and requested them to declare their illegal cables and pay the amount due to the BBMP. Some have started to declare, while others have not bothered to. Energy Minister, D K Shivakumar has asked BESCOM to explore the possibility of making a provision for OFC cables along its electric poles. We plan to have another meeting with them and hear what they have to say.
