Government Sets Deadline to Clear Unused Telecom and Internet Cables Across Kathmandu Valley

 

Kathmandu. The government has directed telecom, internet, and electricity-related agencies to remove unused and hanging telecom, internet, and television cables from roads across the Kathmandu Valley by the end of July, adopting a unified action plan after earlier efforts failed to deliver the expected results.

The decision was made during a high-level inter-agency meeting held at the Ministry of Energy on Wednesday, jointly chaired by Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina and Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha.

The meeting instructed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Nepal Telecom, Ncell, and the Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal (ISPAN) to implement the coordinated plan.

Six Priority Places

In the first phase, authorities will remove abandoned and unnecessary cables from six major road sections in the Valley:

• Tripureshwor–Kalimati–Kalanki

• Jadibuti–Pepsicola

• Tripureshwor–Lazimpat

• Samakhushi–Town Planning–Gongabu

• Kirtipur area

• Old Baneshwor–Gaushala–Chabahil

Under the plan, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority will lead and regulate the campaign, while the Nepal Electricity Authority will provide the necessary coordination and support.

The government had previously issued a 15-day notice on June 11 directing service providers to manage hanging cables. However, after progress fell short of expectations, authorities have now introduced stricter measures through a unified implementation plan.

Ministers Stress Immediate Action

Communications Minister Dr. Bikram Timilsina said the problem of unmanaged overhead cables was the result of shortcomings shared by all concerned agencies and emphasized that the focus should now shift from assigning blame to finding solutions.

He instructed service providers to immediately remove unused cables, stating that once a cable is installed, the responsibility for removing it also rests with the respective operator.

Timilsina also directed agencies to produce visible results that citizens can notice quickly and instructed regulators to maintain close coordination. He further asked officials to report to the ministry if any agency obstructs the campaign.

Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said unmanaged cables pose safety risks to the public and have also affected the Valley's urban appearance, making immediate action necessary.

He said the government would initially implement the campaign as a pilot project in selected areas before expanding it to other parts of the Valley based on the lessons learned.

Shrestha also said the government is positive about establishing a separate infrastructure company to manage telecom and electricity distribution infrastructure and noted that decisions regarding the collection of outstanding pole rental fees would be taken soon.

Wire Tagging to Become Mandatory

During the meeting, ISPAN said delays in cable management were partly caused by restrictions on road work during the monsoon season and limitations on carrying out maintenance during daytime hours.

Meanwhile, the Nepal Electricity Authority said identifying the ownership of cables attached to utility poles has become increasingly difficult because many service providers installed new cables without removing older ones.

To address the issue, the meeting decided that all service providers must clearly tag their cables to identify ownership.

Nepal Telecom is committed to doubling its workforce within the next month to complete the tagging process.

Authorities also agreed that deploying joint teams to work at night or during designated time slots under a common operational standard would help accelerate cable management and improve coordination among agencies.

पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: असार ३१, २०८३ १७:३०

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