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The government has directed the concerned agencies to prepare a joint action plan and accelerate the long-delayed management of tangled electricity, telecommunications, and internet cables hanging from utility poles across the Kathmandu Valley.

A high-level meeting held at the Ministry of Energy on Wednesday, attended by Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina, decided to strengthen coordination among the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), Nepal Telecom, Ncell, and the Internet Service Providers’ Association of Nepal (ISPAN) to launch a coordinated campaign to remove unmanaged cables, beginning with priority areas.

According to the meeting, cable management work is currently underway along the Old Baneshwor–Gaushala–Chabahil corridor. The campaign will gradually expand to other priority areas identified by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. The subcommittee formed to oversee the project informed the meeting that work has already begun on six priority routes where electricity infrastructure is in use.

The meeting also agreed to immediately remove unused cables, clearly define the responsibilities of service providers, implement a joint action plan with a detailed schedule, and move forward with necessary legal reforms.

Although the meeting expressed its commitment to completing the cable management drive within a defined timeframe, it did not announce a final completion deadline. While decisions were made to prepare a joint action plan, prioritize key areas, and improve coordination among stakeholders, no specific date was disclosed for completing the campaign. Nepal Telecom, however, said it would deploy additional personnel and double the pace of work on the two routes currently under management within one month.

Energy Minister Shrestha said the problem of unmanaged cables cannot be solved by a single institution and requires effective coordination among all stakeholders. He added that agreements with service providers could be reviewed if necessary and stressed that the pilot project should deliver results within the stipulated timeframe. He also said the government is positive about resolving outstanding pole rental fees owed by internet service providers through legal and practical measures and is open to establishing a long-term telecommunications infrastructure company.

Communications Minister Timilsina noted that previous directives had not been implemented effectively and emphasized the need for visible results. He called for the immediate removal of abandoned cables, timely reporting of obstacles by concerned agencies, and urged the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to lead implementation by preparing an integrated action plan with clear deadlines.

During the meeting, the Nepal Electricity Authority stated that while it has already removed many unnecessary cables under its ownership, identifying the ownership of numerous cables still attached to poles remains difficult. The authority said the widespread practice of leaving old cables in place after installing new ones, along with some service providers failing to pay pole rental fees regularly, has made cable management more complicated.

ISPAN President Sudhir Parajuli stressed the need for solution-oriented cooperation rather than blame, noting that in many locations it is unclear which service provider owns which cable. He said cable identification and tagging should be given top priority.

Nepal Telecom reported that cable tagging and management work is ongoing on two routes and said it plans to double the pace of work within a month by mobilizing additional manpower.

The meeting concluded that the cable management initiative should not be viewed merely as a cleanup campaign but as a long-term effort linked to urban beautification, public safety, and the sustainable management of Nepal’s telecommunications infrastructure.

Jalasarokar