In the bustling streets of Trichy, a silent and often ignored threat looms overhead. Abandoned television and internet cables, left dangling precariously from streetlight and electricity poles, have become a significant hazard for daily commuters and residents. Despite causing numerous incidents, the lack of fatal outcomes has meant this pervasive issue fails to generate the public outrage needed for urgent action.
Recent Accident Exposes Immediate Danger
The tangible risk of these stray cables was starkly illustrated in a recent incident on VOC Road in the Cantonment area. Two construction workers, S Kalaimani and his colleague, were riding a scooter when they became entangled in low-hanging cables extending from a streetlight pole. The cables got trapped in a manual tile cutter placed on their vehicle, pulling the scooter and causing them to lose control and fall onto the road.
"Fortunately, no buses were trailing us on the road that leads to Central bus stand," recounted Kalaimani. "The cable got trapped... We didn't notice it as it happened in a few seconds. As we continued riding, the cable didn't break away but pulled the scooter causing us to lose control." The duo escaped with minor injuries only because they were riding slowly, a stroke of luck that underscores the potential for more severe outcomes.
A City-Wide Problem with Multiple Consequences
This incident is not an isolated one. Residents across Trichy report that the problem of dangling cables creates widespread accessibility woes. Large vehicles like trucks and borewell machines often face difficulties entering narrow residential streets due to these obstructive wires. The issue also undermines the city's expensive beautification projects, creating an eyesore amidst efforts to enhance urban aesthetics.
C Balasubramanian, adviser to Trichy district Exnora, voiced the community's frustration, stating, "Trichy corporation and police are not bothered about the threats to commuters. The entire city is facing the dangling cable issue." Investigations reveal that most of these abandoned and low-hanging cable bundles are attached to private telecom infrastructure, electricity posts, and streetlight poles on road medians.
Systemic Failure and a Promised Solution
The root of the problem lies in a cycle of neglect. During various maintenance works on both public and private properties, service providers cut cables and simply abandon them on the roads. Neither these companies nor the local civic body takes responsibility for their removal. Ironically, while the city has created smart drains with provisions to transmit cables via underground pipelines, these modern facilities remain completely unutilised.
In response to growing concerns, a senior Trichy corporation official has indicated that steps may finally be on the horizon. "We placed an order for a new truck-mounted lift platform vehicle at Rs 40.8 lakh to remove unwanted cables and hoardings on roads," the official said. "Soon, steps would be taken to remove those cables." This planned investment represents a long-awaited acknowledgment of the problem, though residents await concrete action to clear the tangled web of dangers from their skies and pathways.
