Unused cables causing worry for pedestrians

KOCHI: Several heaps of unused cables are left abandoned on many areas, especially roadsides. These unclaimed cables are also causing difficulties for pedestrians and giving an ugly look to the city. Many activists have come forward demanding the corporation to take immediate action and remove them.

Ranjith Tambi, an environmental activist from the city said none of the cables has any marking to denote the ownership. “If we want to ask the operator to remove them from the public places, whom should we call? None of them has names or any markings to denote the companies. It also makes the street look untidy,” he said. He added the authorities should come out with guidelines for installing cables on electric posts.

Some activists have alleged that there is corruption in allocating the cable services of the private players. Manu Jacob, one of the councillors, said the corporation has given sanction for some of the private players to lay cables without the clearance from the council.

“There should be coordination for installing these cables. Since there are no markings on these cables, nobody knows the number of cables lying unused in the city. There is a huge pile of cables lying near North Railway station, which no one claims. More than 80 per cent of the cables are non-functional. The 
corporation should take a strong decision in this regard,” he said.

However, while admitting that the heaps of unused cables are bad for the image of the city, Mayor M Anilkumar dismissed the corruption allegations.

“There is a huge change brought in the Smart City areas with Smart Poles, and that will continue on the other roads as well. It is difficult to remove all the cables since many other departments, like the electricity board (KSEB), have given sanction for them. So, the corporation cannot take a one-sided decision. The corporation secretary will soon call a meeting of all the cable companies. Meanwhile, unused cables that cause hindrances to the pedestrians will be removed immediately,” he said.