Bengaluru: The massive crackdown on illegal OFCs (optical-fibre cable) in Mahadevapura zone has resulted in cleared roads spanning 50km and 74 tractor-loads of cables. The work, however, caused minor disturbance in broadband services, but not many were complaining.
The drive by a seven-member Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) team majorly focused on four key road junctions and was held for four days (November 3 to 7).Roads from Iblur to Lowry junction, Lowry junction to Channasandra, Suranjan Das Road to Ramgondanahalli and Ramgondnahalli to Sarjapur Metro station (Saibaba hospital) were cleared of illegal cables.
A BBMP official from Mahadevapura zone told TOI all the roads where the drive was held have been provided with underground ducts for drawing cables. “Despite having the facility to drag cables underneath the road, cable operators had drawn them overhead using poles for support. These hanging cables are not only dangerous, but also look ugly. Under the guidance of the zonal and joint commissioner, we have removed all hanging cables.”
Ward committee members from Mahadevapura had, at a zonal meeting, highlighted that OFCs were one of the major concerns and they should be removed from poles.
The drive caused minor disruption in internet services in some pockets of the zone. Ashwin Sinha, a resident of Marathahalli, said: “I was previously informed that my WiFi network would be disconnected for a few hours for some technical upgrade. Later in the day, they informed me that internet restoration might take some more time and free internet will be provided for an additional day as compensation. But services were restored by day-end.”
Sandeep Anirudhan, a Whitefield resident, said most of the flats in their apartment have taken internet services from big firms. “We suffered no interruption in service when OFCs were removed and later, too. Most top service providers have drawn their cables underground and we had no issue. We are indeed happy with the drive. But I also see a lot of them drawing OFCs back again after the BBMP drive.”
Ibrahim Maigur, zonal commissioner, Mahadevapura, told TOI: “When I was posted here recently, removing illegal OFCs was a top priority. We went ahead and removed all illegal OFCs from the roads. It is true that a few service providers are bringing back the cables. We won’t stop the drive. We’ll continue with it and take action against those drawing cables without BBMP’s permission.”
The drive by a seven-member Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) team majorly focused on four key road junctions and was held for four days (November 3 to 7).Roads from Iblur to Lowry junction, Lowry junction to Channasandra, Suranjan Das Road to Ramgondanahalli and Ramgondnahalli to Sarjapur Metro station (Saibaba hospital) were cleared of illegal cables.
A BBMP official from Mahadevapura zone told TOI all the roads where the drive was held have been provided with underground ducts for drawing cables. “Despite having the facility to drag cables underneath the road, cable operators had drawn them overhead using poles for support. These hanging cables are not only dangerous, but also look ugly. Under the guidance of the zonal and joint commissioner, we have removed all hanging cables.”
Ward committee members from Mahadevapura had, at a zonal meeting, highlighted that OFCs were one of the major concerns and they should be removed from poles.
The drive caused minor disruption in internet services in some pockets of the zone. Ashwin Sinha, a resident of Marathahalli, said: “I was previously informed that my WiFi network would be disconnected for a few hours for some technical upgrade. Later in the day, they informed me that internet restoration might take some more time and free internet will be provided for an additional day as compensation. But services were restored by day-end.”
Sandeep Anirudhan, a Whitefield resident, said most of the flats in their apartment have taken internet services from big firms. “We suffered no interruption in service when OFCs were removed and later, too. Most top service providers have drawn their cables underground and we had no issue. We are indeed happy with the drive. But I also see a lot of them drawing OFCs back again after the BBMP drive.”
Ibrahim Maigur, zonal commissioner, Mahadevapura, told TOI: “When I was posted here recently, removing illegal OFCs was a top priority. We went ahead and removed all illegal OFCs from the roads. It is true that a few service providers are bringing back the cables. We won’t stop the drive. We’ll continue with it and take action against those drawing cables without BBMP’s permission.”
