Illegal cables: Corpn warns of penalty and disconnection

This came to light after inspecting less than a quarter of the city streets, indicating that the actual extent of illegal cables would be much higher when the survey is completed.

According to Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash, engineers from the civic body are conducting inspections along 34,893 city streets to identify illegal cables tied to streetlight posts. “Of the total number of streets, inspections on 8,505 streets have been completed. In those streets, we have identified 4,449-km long illegals cables,” said the official.

Corporation’s license is mandatory for Internet service providers and cable TV operators to use streetlight posts. These companies should pay rent to it based on the length of cables. The civic body has issued licenses to 26 companies. Of these authorised firms, 20 have laid 1,361 km long cables without permission. In addition, 3,088 km long cables have been drawn without a license.

Besides private companies, even State-run BSNL also has illegal cable extending to 9 km.

At present, the Chennai Corporation earns Rs 27 crore from the 20 registered companies it has given license to. Officials said the city administration has decided to enumerate illegal underground cables and unauthorised lamp posts, too, which would reveal the actual picture about illegal cables.

“Registered companies which have laid additional cables should pay rent and the unauthorised companies should register and pay rent. If they fail to abide, the illegal cables will be snapped and penalty will be slapped on them, in addition to collecting the pending rent from them,” Prakash warned.