Thrikkakara municipality has begun removing hazardous and unauthorised cables hanging over roads and streetlight poles in Kakkanad, following complaints from the public about risks to pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. The first phase of the action was carried out on Friday along the stretch from Kakkanad to the NGO Quarters.
The municipality said cables that were hanging dangerously over major roads, busy junctions and streetlight poles were being cut and removed. Several of the lines were reported to be low-hanging, tangled around poles or left unused after their operational requirement had ended.
The cables had created risks for people using the roads, particularly two-wheeler riders who could encounter lines at head height and pedestrians walking below bundles attached to poles. The report also noted concerns that loose cables could fall onto the road during strong winds and rain.
The action follows growing public complaints about the condition of cables across roads in the Thrikkakara municipal area. The municipality has decided to take stricter action against companies that install cables without following its directions, according to the report.
Officials said inspections would continue over the coming days. Companies or operators that reinstall cables without complying with municipal instructions would face fines, the municipality stated. The report did not specify the number of cables removed, the companies involved or the amount of the proposed penalties.
The first-phase removal was inaugurated by Thrikkakara municipal chairperson Rashid Ullampilly. Standing committee chairpersons T.T. Babu and P.S. Sujith, former vice-chairperson P.M. Yunus and councillor Rexy Shiju were among those present.
The operation highlights a recurring street-level challenge in expanding urban areas: telecom and utility cables remain part of the public-road environment even after some lines are no longer in use. In this case, the municipality’s immediate response is focused on removing cables considered dangerous and enforcing compliance on future installations.
Further inspections are expected to determine whether similar cables remain along other roads and around additional streetlight poles within the municipality. The municipality has said action will continue in the coming days and that penalties will be imposed on those who fail to follow its directions.
