Bengaluru civic body plans digital infrastructure utility corridors to tackle overhead cable menace

Bengaluru residents have complained that unauthorised cables from telecom, TV, and internet providers hanging on poles, trees, and footpaths ruin the city's aesthetics and pose a threat to commuters and pedestrians.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to tackle the menace of overhead cables, is now planning digital infrastructure utility corridors.

BBMP has recently invited a tender to select a Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) consultant for the preparation of feasibility/concept and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for implementing the digital infrastructure utility corridors.

The consultant will come up with a financial model, create an implementation roadmap, and onboard various partners for the implementation of the project.

Also, read: BBMP issues notice to internet service providers to declare unauthorised Optical Fibre Cables

BBMP officials said that they are executing the project under Brand Bengaluru. BS Prahlad, chief engineer of BBMP, told Moneycontrol: “Bengaluru has a bad precedent of having a lot of OFC cables hanging on footpaths and trees. This is one step towards eliminating OFC overhead cables which ruin the aesthetics of the city and pose a threat to pedestrians and motorists.”

He said they will soon provide ducts and charge a fee from OFC providers. “We need to have the system in place and then ask them to use it. At present, there is no such system. We will construct underground ducts for telecom providers and fix a charge for using it.”

Also, read: Bengaluru likely to face internet outage as unauthorised cables on electric poles to be removed in a week

Residents have been complaining that unauthorised cables from telecom, TV, and internet providers dangling on poles, trees, and footpaths ruin the city's aesthetics and pose a threat to commuters and pedestrians.

Given the multiple government agencies involved in road digging for power, water, and gas, many operators have laid OFCs through aerial routes. Currently, TenderSure roads in the Central Business District have underground ducts for utilities.

Separately, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is working towards the development of around 10,000 km of Optic Fibre Cables (OFC) infrastructure across the country by 2024-25. Around 1,367 km on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and 512 km on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru corridor have been identified as pilot routes for the digital highway development.

"The OFC network will expand internet connectivity to remote locations, expedite the rollout of 5G and 6G technologies, and allow a direct plug-and-play model for telecom services. It will be leased on a Fixed Price Allotment basis through a web portal,” said an NHAI official.

Also, read: Brand Bengaluru: 70,000 suggestions from citizens; ball in Karnataka govt's court