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An intensified campaign has been launched to manage haphazardly hanging and unused telecommunications and internet cables in the Kathmandu Valley. The initiative has been advanced with the coordination of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

With the objective of enhancing urban aesthetics, ensuring public safety, and reducing risks on roadways, the Nepal Electricity Authority is carrying out an underground cable project. Under this initiative, work has begun to identify and manage existing overhead cables on poles.

As part of the campaign, cable management and removal of disorganized wires will be carried out in phases within the next 15 days in areas including Tripureshwar–Kalimati–Kalanki, Jadibuti–Pepsicola, Tripureshwar–Lazimpat, Samakhushi Town Planning (Gongabu), Kirtipur, and Old Baneshwar–Gaushala–Chabahil.

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority has instructed all telecommunications and internet service providers to actively participate in the campaign on a daily basis during this period and to clearly label all their cables with identifiable tags. According to the authority, if cables are untagged or cannot be identified due to the absence of representatives from the respective service providers, any removal, cutting, or related management work may be carried out, and the concerned service provider will be fully responsible for any resulting damage.

The authority has also stipulated that future network expansion, maintenance, and re-management activities must strictly comply with the “Directives for Laying and Maintaining Optical Fiber Network.”

The campaign is expected to help clearly identify which cables belong to which service provider, improve record-keeping and regulation of telecommunications infrastructure, and increase transparency in managing pole usage fees and other obligations.

The government has stated that the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation is facilitating the effective implementation of the underground electrical infrastructure project by forming a high-level committee to ensure necessary coordination and support.

Jalasarokar