BBMP cracks a whip on cable mafia, cuts overhanging internet wires in city

By Mohammed Yacoob | First Published Sep 1, 2017, 3:35 PM IST

With several complaints regarding illegal cables hanging all over Bengaluru, BBMP finally took a step to cut them
The drive which started 15 days ago, covers 11 TenderSure roads to tackle the cable mafia
BBMP says the cables must be put only through dedicated ducts.
Officials say BBMP may have lost Rs 20 crores as OFC companies used trees and poles to avoid paying rentals on ducts

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has finally shown some guts in dealing with optic fibre cable mafia that had caused crores of rupees loss to BBMP. The mafia was laying illegal cable connections for various mode of communications.

The BBMP drive that started 15 days ago is being headed by the central projects division, optic fiber cable division and east division had sent several notices to OFC companies to lay underground cables in 11 TenderSure roads but these companies failed to comply with BBMP rules and as a result, on Friday morning, armed with cutters BBMP Joint Commissioner Dr Ashok deputed staff to cut all OFC cables that were seen hanging on electricity poles, trees and walls.

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"These OFC companies have no sense. Despite BBMP making provisions like cable duct in TenderSure roads the OFC companies have failed to remove their hanging cables. If we fail to notice, they may damage the roads by digging as per their convenience and hence we have mercilessly cut the cables on Richmond and Cunningham Road," said Dr Ashok.

He also mentioned that the Reliance Jio, other companies will not get any extension as they failed to reply to notices and also not paid the rentals for using BBMP land for laying their cables.

"Earlier, in February, Vasanth Nagar Assistant Executive Engineer had imposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakhs against Reliance Jio Infocom Limited for damaging BBMP roads and still BBMP has not been able to recover. We will send another notice, and if there is no response, we have provisions to seize their properties," said Dr Ashok.

"For laying OFC in ducts, it would cost Rs 1,500 and to avoid lakhs of rupees on rentals, these companies are simply killing tress and defacing the city by allowing their OFC to hang. Only Reliance was spared from disconnection and have got the extension for 18 months time to put all the cables underground through BBMP ducts, as they have paid Rs 3.5 crore as rentals," said KT Nagaraj, Chief Engineer, central projects division,said.

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