Unused and loosely hanging telecom cables continue to create safety risks across Hyderabad despite the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) reducing the annual rental for optical fibre cables on electricity poles from ₹600 to ₹100 per pole in May, according to residents and officials cited in a recent review.
The cables have reportedly been left hanging at entrances of homes, schools and shops, obstructing footpaths and raising fears of electrocution, particularly during rain. Residents in areas including Ameerpet, Kavadiguda, Krishnanagar, Srinagar Colony and Yellareddyguda said abandoned wires often remain attached to electricity poles after internet operators shift or disconnect their services.
The safety concern intensified after five people were killed last year at Ramanthapur when a dangling cable reportedly came into contact with a live power line during a religious procession. The Telangana High Court has also ordered the removal of unauthorised cables from electricity poles, observing that such cables had caused multiple fatalities in the state.
A.S. Madhavi, a school principal and resident of Yellareddyguda, said cables hang so low near school entrances that she avoids allowing children to play close to the gate and compound wall. She said the wires swing closer to the entrance during rain, creating fears that they could snap or touch a live line.
Kavitha, who runs an establishment in Krishnanagar, Srinagar Colony, said abandoned cables left by earlier internet operators had accumulated near her premises. She said customers were hesitant to stand near the pole and that the wires also made repair work difficult. In Ameerpet, low-hanging cables were reported to pose risks to pedestrians and two-wheeler riders, while a resident of Kavadiguda said unused wires were rarely removed unless an accident occurred.
TGSPDCL chairman and managing director Jitesh V. Patil recently reviewed implementation of the Telecommunications Right of Way Rules, 2024, with telecom, broadband and data service providers. He directed operators to identify and remove unused cables, bundle active cables properly and secure them to poles. He also stated that cables must not be installed without permission or without compliance with safety norms.
The issue reflects the operational difficulty of managing shared urban infrastructure when multiple operators use the same electricity poles and roadside corridors. Reducing the pole rental charge has not, by itself, addressed the problem of cable ownership, removal responsibilities or enforcement against unauthorised installations.
TGSPDCL is also exploring coordination with telecom companies through its TCUR underground cabling project. Under the proposed approach, single-fibre cables could be laid in trenches excavated for power cables. The arrangement is expected to reduce repeated road excavation and gradually clear overhead cable congestion.
For residents, the immediate concern remains the removal and securing of cables already hanging over public movement areas. TGSPDCL’s directions require operators to identify unused lines, remove them and ensure that new installations follow permission and safety requirements.
