GUWAHATI, May 3 - Overhead cables hanging low in different parts of Guwahati city area a common sight, but nobody seems to be bothered about it, despite the hazard they create, especially on the pavements. Cables hanging dangerously low and attached to electricity poles, speak volumes about the laid back attitude of the authorities concerned and service providers alike.
Maintenance of mostly the fibre optic cables and coaxial cables used by cable TV operators, BSNL and private telecom companies for proving Internet connection, has remained abysmally poor in Guwahati city. On top of that, the already choked and encroached pavements face an extra burden of these low hanging overhead cables, with the situation being aggravated by several bouts of thunderstorm.
While the use of electricity poles and fetches revenue for the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) as per agreements between the APDCL and pole users, lack of monitoring in the post-installation period results in such cable clusters making net-like formations above the pavements.
�In 2014, the APDCL and Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators� Association reached an agreement after a court case, by which the cable operators are to pay a monthly utilisation charge of Rs 10 per pole per cable, with maximum of six cables per pole,� said Iqbal Ahmed, general secretary of the Cable TV Operators� Forum of Assam, who was a signatory to the agreement. He alleged that the APDCL was not handling the entire issue professionally despite charging for cables.
�People blame cable TV cables only, when Internet cables, CCTV cables, telephone cables etc., also use the same pole. In 2014, a survey was conducted to find out the number of our cables, which remained partial,� he said, adding that a proper survey is a must to ascertain responsibility.
Acknowledging that low hanging cables pose serious hazards, official sources at the APDCL said, �Maintenance of the cables is the responsibility of the companies using the poles as per the agreement. On receiving complaints, we tell them from time to time to carry out restoration work. We will issue instructions to them to do the needful.�
The low strung cables are unavoidable encounters during walks on the pavements of the RG Baruah Road, Rajgarh Road, Chandmari, Silpukhuri, Nabin Nagar and several other areas of the city. Cables lie on the pavements for days together, without being noticed by those at the helm of affairs.
DC Kamrup Metro, M Angamuthu informed this reporter that instructions were given to the Circle Officer as well as APDCL officials to verify the low lying and low hanging cables in different parts of the city and take necessary action.
�At several places, such cables hang low at bylane entrance points, entrance of buildings etc., posing a serious threat to those being snapped by passing vehicles. The city often faces electrocution incidents due to the fault of the authorities. If a utility post is uprooted by vehicles due to such obstruction it would be disastrous,� said a resident of RG Baruah Road.
�Rather than passing the buck, it is the responsibility of the authority to take swift action to fix the problem,� he added.
