Vijayawada: In a major move to improve public safety and urban aesthetics, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has launched a citywide operation to remove unauthorised, unused, and dangerously hanging cable wires. The issue is especially acute in densely populated areas like One Town, Governorpet, and several colonies located in the hilly terrains of the city, where jumbled overhead wires pose a constant threat to commuters and residents.Municipal commissioner Dhyana Chandra has issued firm directives prioritising public safety, urging the immediate removal of cables that posed a threat. These include unauthorised broadband and optical fibre cables laid by private internet service providers without proper coordination or permission.“The city cannot afford to overlook cables and wires that are hanging loosely or criss-crossing over busy streets and homes. If any such wires are found to be dangerous, they must be removed immediately. Unused and unnecessary wires should be sorted out and cleared within one week,” the commissioner warned.The VMC is especially concerned about narrow lanes and elevated colonies, where cable networks have been laid haphazardly, often blocking footpaths, rooftops, and even windows, creating hazards for pedestrians, two-wheeler riders, and emergency service access.Commissioner Dhyana Chandra made a public appeal to broadband companies, cable operators, and residents to cooperate with the administration.“If these directives are not followed voluntarily, the corporation will initiate enforcement actions after the one-week deadline. We seek public cooperation in making Vijayawada a safer and more beautiful city,” he added.This clean up initiative is part of the city’s ongoing urban beautification drive. Officials said the wires that are necessary would need to be properly rerouted or bundled in an organised manner, following aesthetic guidelines. VMC’s initiative is receiving a positive response from the people residing in the One Town area. “We were unable to open our window for almost a year since a broadband company tied cables to it. They didn’t respond despite several complaints. However, with warnings from the VMC, they immediately swung into action and relocated their cables,” said Sambhav Jain, a resident of Pulipati Vari street in One Town area.
