Mayor gives 7-day ultimatum for removal of dead overhead wires, bats for cleaner Kolkata

Kolkata: Mayor Firhad Hakim gave a 7-day ultimatum to the cable operators in the city on Thursday, to remove dead overhead wires which are causing visual pollution in various parts of the city.

"We have given a deadline to the cable operators in the city to bring down all the overhead wires that are no longer functional. If they do not do so within the stipulated time, the civic body will remove them. In many places these dead cables are creating a nuisance and also causing visual pollution," Hakim said.

The Mayor also said that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will dig tunnels to accommodate various overhead cables that are found in the city. According to the initial plans, the work of digging tunnels will be done at three strategic locations like Alipore Road, Harish Mukherjee Road and Park Street. Later, the project would be initiated in other places in the city.

"As there is huge cost involved in constructing tunnels, we have decided to start the project at three places in the city where we see congregation of a large number of cables that cause visual pollution. The concept has already been implemented in Nabadiganta and Rajarhat," Hakim maintained.

The main purpose of the civic body is to rid the city's skyline of ugly overhead wires. It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had given a clarion call to beautify the city across various parameters.

Taking cue from the Chief Minister's idea of beatification, KMC has been taking up various measures including the removing the banners and cables from different locations.

The Mayor also mentioned that the DG of the electrical department has held a meeting with cables operators in this regard. He also pledged a vow to keep the city clean and free from visual pollution.

Meanwhile, the Mayor himself held a meeting with the cable operators, broadcasters and MSOs on Thursday, urging them to show the rate chart on television over which some confusion has been created among people.

"There has been confusion among people over the rate chart of various channels. We have asked the broadcasters and cable operators to

give a proper display of the rates. They have to mention

the rates of each channel," Hakim said.