Pune: PMC to File Criminal Cases Against Firms for Illegal Overhead Cables; 3,600 km Network Under Scanner
PUNE – In a move to reclaim the city’s skyline and ensure citizen safety, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced it will file criminal cases against firms and internet service providers (ISPs) responsible for the tangled web of illegal overhead cables across the city.
Zero Tolerance for Public Safety Risks
The decision follows a harrowing accident on Satara Road where a motorcyclist sustained permanent injuries after becoming entangled in a low-hanging wire. While the PMC has traditionally focused on simply cutting and removing these wires, the administration is now invoking the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act, 1995, to hold companies legally accountable.
“The time for warnings is over. These unauthorized cables are not just an eyesore; they are death traps,” stated a senior official from the PMC Electrical Department. “By bypassing underground ducting to save costs, these firms are endangering lives. We are now coordinating with the police to ensure FIRs are registered against every violating entity.”
3,600 Kilometers of “Illegal Web” Identified
A comprehensive survey conducted by the civic body has revealed a staggering 3,600 kilometers of unauthorized overhead Optical Fiber Cables (OFC) and wires. These cables are illegally strung across streetlights, trees, flyovers, and even traffic signals.
Since the intensified drive began on April 1, joint teams from the Anti-Encroachment and Fire departments have seized two truckloads of cables. In the Satara Road stretch alone, 10 km of cables were cleared in a single morning, resulting in immediate internet and network outages for several prominent mobile operators in the area.
Police Pressure and Internal Accountability
The PMC’s aggressive stance also comes amid rising legal heat on its own staffers. Recently, the Swargate Police filed a chargesheet against junior PMC officials from the Kasba-Vishrambag ward office for “criminal negligence” related to cable-related accidents.
In response, PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has signaled a “top-down” approach, ensuring that the blame is shifted to the private companies that install these hazards without paying requisite fees or obtaining permissions.
Impact on Internet and Cable Services
Citizens have been warned to expect temporary disruptions in internet and cable TV services as the drive expands to Kothrud, Shivajinagar, and Hadapsar. The PMC has clarified that while essential service lines (like CCTV and emergency police lines) will be spared, all other overhead cables must be moved underground as per the city’s prevailing infrastructure policy.
New Policy for Underground Cabling
To prevent the recurrence of this “spider-web” phenomenon, the PMC Standing Committee is slated to approve a fresh, comprehensive policy for underground cabling in the coming weeks. This policy will mandate a single-window clearance system for ISPs while imposing heavy fines for any new overhead installations.
