The power distribution system of Dhanmondi in the capital will go underground within the next two to three years. Within five to six years, a large part of the power distribution system of the capital will also go underground. State minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid informed reporters after visiting various areas under Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited in the capital on Thursday morning.
If we take a look at the road right below our residence or office through window, we might find a bundle of wires and cables connected from one pole to another to supply us electricity, internet, and telephone and cable connection. Service providers, including internet and dish cable operators, are using the poles illegally as they have no infrastructure to support their wires.
The service providers are engaged in an unhealthy competition of covering the poles with new cables in a haphazard manner having no idea about how these can cause accidents anytime. People walking along the city streets, particularly in the commercial areas, are at high risk of accidents due to overhead utility service cables as such cables are often found hanging or lying on the ground in many city areas.
Authorities concerned should sit with
the service providers and fix a
reasonable deadline to complete
the work
However, despite repeated orders from the authorities to have the utility service connections underground, internet and cable TV operators paid no heed to the matter.
We hope, the City Corporations by formulating concrete policies will take necessary actions to successfully remove all the hazardous and illegal overhead cables. We expect service providers will also cooperate with the authorities concerned to immediately implement the plan to replace over ground cables with underground cables.
It needs no emphasising that the service providers would need enough time to remove tons of wire and connect them through the underground system. Unless they are given the required time it is the ever growing consumers who would suffer the most. Therefore, authorities concerned should sit with the service providers and fix a reasonable deadline to complete the work.