Bengaluru: A dangling cable from a low tree branch on a footpath could well be the noose you were not prepared for. So are TV cables hanging loose across buildings or poles on narrow streets; worse are black wires on the road left unattended. These could turn fatal in squally weather and heavy-rain evenings when visibility is the first casualty.Last week’s heavy rain exposed Bengaluru’s civic vulnerabilities and how no rules are followed in drawing cables for many utilities and services. The rain left behind a trail of fallen trees, snapped cables, and exposed wires across busy streets. “Watch your step” is the guiding principle for pedestrians and motorists.According to officials of Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), some 300 trees and 600 branches fell across the city during the downpour last week, pulling down with them a web of telecom cables, cable TV lines, internet cables and, in some cases, electric wires. Two people died of electrocution last week, underscoring the enormity of the situation. Residents say the issue highlights a larger infrastructure gap: despite repeated concerns for years, cables in many parts of Bengaluru continue to be strung overhead instead of being routed underground.“The footpaths are veritable death traps — wires dangle dangerously from trees or are snapped or are lying unattended on the ground. How do we know which wire is safe?” asked Sharmistha K, a resident of Langford Road in central Bengaluru.Even retail hubs of SJP Road and Avenue Road are not spared. These packed commercial stretches are now riddled with wires, making it difficult to distinguish between safe cables and live electric lines.TOI observed that in South End Circle, Jayanagar, a biker suddenly saw a wire falling on his vehicle. He panicked, but gathered himself and moved on. While he was relieved nothing dangerous happened, this is the danger motorists are up against.Traders and shoppers say the situation is both chaotic and perilous. “Cables laid by telecom companies and cable TV operators are unregulated and installed in a haphazard manner,” said Rahul Goyal, vice-president of Karnataka Hardware & Allied Merchants’ Association. “Before monsoon, the forest department, along with civic authorities, should identify weak or dead branches and prune them. Otherwise, when branches fall, they pull down cables, creating a serious risk for both pedestrians and motorists. If such branches fall on electric poles, it can be disastrous.”Arun Jain, another trader, said, “No one seeks permission before laying these cables. Many are defunct but continue to hang.”
