PMC withdraws policy to regularise unauthorised overhead cables

The decision puts a question mark over the civic body’s plan to bring telecom, internet, and broadband companies’ overhead cables under a temporary regulatory framework

PThe Pune Municipal Corporation’s General Body on Tuesday withdrew a policy seeking to temporarily regularise unauthorised overhead cables in the city for one year, despite the proposal having been approved by the standing committee.

Civic circles also view the move as a setback for standing committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale. (FILE)

The decision puts a question mark over the civic body’s plan to bring telecom, internet, and broadband companies’ overhead cables under a temporary regulatory framework. Civic circles also view the move as a setback for standing committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale.

Bhimale had maintained that overhead cables were disfiguring the city and posed a safety risk to citizens. The policy proposed giving companies a one-year deadline to shift them underground, with the PMC providing a single-window system for approvals.

Bhimale backed the policy, stating, “All overhead cables should be shifted underground.”

Under the proposal, telecom and telecommunications companies would have been allowed to retain overhead cables for one year by paying an annual fee of ₹3 lakh per km. Internet and broadband companies would have paid ₹1 lakh per km. During this one-year period, these companies would have to shift the cables underground.

However, the General Body withdrew the proposal at the final approval stage, despite the standing committee clearing it. This is being viewed as a political setback for Bhimale and has triggered discussion within PMC circles over the next course of action.

The decision also leaves unresolved the larger issue of regulating the city’s extensive overhead cable network and ensuring that cables are eventually moved underground.