Pune: Hanging an overhead cable that blocks the view to the sky may be from the past in the new year, with city corporation records the steps to install it underground.
A survey has found nearly 7,500 km long cable criss-crossing the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) against Civic’s body policy.
Cellular service providers and private internet must change all these overhead cables on the channel under the streets.
According to PMC officials, TV companies, cellphone companies and internet service providers have been included in the cable.
PMC has approached and asked them to complete the process of shifting this cable.
The private body has been appointed to the survey.
This will be a sustainable process.
The area where the channel is not available, PMC will allow the company to dig the road.
The company concerned must pay road excavation and restoration fees.
“These companies must advance and confirm the cable used by their company.
If no one comes to claim the cable in a certain area, PMC will cut the cable.
It will be called illegal,” said VG Kulkarni, head of PMC’s.
Department of Road.
He said the company must come and provide a schedule to change the overhead cable to the underground cable.
Schedule will be annual.
According to PMC, it is charged around RS13,000 per km for road encouragement and restoration costs.
The company must pay 10% as a down payment before digging the way for conversion.
Civil activists claim that the initiative to promote the underground cable installation is good, but the whole conversion seems unworthy.
If appropriate precautions are not taken, it can promote road excavations and corruption.
This ultimately causes suffering for general citizens.
“Priority must be given to shift the cable on the channel.
This will be less troublesome for people.
If not, the commuter will slip with Jalan Gali,” said Vivek Velankar from ALAG Nagrik Mancheum, a citizen forum.
According to activists, some politicians have used road excavations and restoration as sources of income.
They have helped let the company put the cable without the right permission.
New policies may not promote such practice.
“The amount to be paid for the very large conversion of underground overhead.
So, many telecommunications companies will not prefer to pay this amount.
Therefore, conversion is not too feasible.
Precautions are a must to ensure that the initiative does not lead to a source New malpractice, “said Sudarshan Yadav, a consultant for cellular companies and cable operators.