Kathmandu, August 29

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has issued a circular to all local levels in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, requesting them to act on the August 15 decision of the Ministry of Information and Communications to manage overhead cables in their respective areas.

The circular issued by Municipality Planning and Management Section of the ministry said, “Kathmandu and Lalitpur metropolitan cities, and six municipalities of the Valley are requested to manage cables hanging perilously from utility poles as they are putting passers-by and motorists at risk.”

Ongoing construction work on roads has aggravated the problem. Messy wires dangling from poles have also added to visual pollution. Earlier, the Department of Roads, Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Nepal Electricity Authority, Nepal Telecom, and internet and cable television distributors had agreed to work together to manage or remove overhead cables.

There are tens of thousands of electric and telecommunication poles and street light posts on which cables have been strung for years. Concerned companies and service providers have been urged to manage and tighten low-hanging cables by September. After managing the wires, a tag of the company will be attached to the cable for identification and to hold it accountable as and when the wires droop low to the ground in future.

NEA and NT have also warned that they will terminate their contract with internet service providers and cable television distributors regarding the permission to use the utility poles for fixing wires if the untidy cables are not managed by September.

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