Telangana HC: Only GHMC-approved cables can be fixed on electricity poles

Hyderabad: Only licensed cables approved by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will be allowed on electricity poles, ruled the Telangana High Court on Friday.

The ruling followed the recent Ramantapur mishap, where six people died after a cable wire came in contact with a temple chariot during the Sri Krishnashtami procession.

Judge pulls up authorities

During the hearing of a petition filed by Bharti Airtel, Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka expressed strong displeasure at the continuing risks posed by overhead cables.

Recalling the Ramantapur incident, he noted with anguish that a nine-year-old boy was forced to perform the last rites of his father instead of celebrating his birthday.

“A tender heart was broken. Who is responsible for this? We are all accountable, and society must hang its head in shame,” the judge remarked.

‘Lives cannot be protected with outdated laws’

The court criticised officials for shirking responsibility after fatal accidents.

Justice Bheemapaka questioned how public lives could be safeguarded under ‘outdated and ineffective laws.’ He said the excessive weight of multiple unauthorised cables was even causing poles to tilt, creating fresh dangers.

Negligence and corruption highlighted

The judge came down heavily on official apathy, observing that some employees were enriching themselves through bribes while public safety was compromised. “Instead of blaming each other, ensure that such incidents never repeat,” he directed.

Sharp rebuke on cable identification

When the petitioner’s counsel argued that the wires could not be distinguished as they were all black, the judge retorted: “You may not recognise the cables, but you certainly recognise Mahatma Gandhi on a currency note.”

Majority of poles misused without permission

The city has over 20 lakh electric poles, but permission was granted for only 1,73,608 poles to be used by cable and internet service providers (ISPs). The remaining installations are unauthorized, TGSPDCL officials informed the court.

‘Officials must act responsibly’

Justice Bheemapaka reminded officials that their salaries were paid from taxpayers’ money and urged them to be more responsible and sensitive to citizens’ safety. He orally directed TGSPDCL to begin clearing all unauthorized cables without delay.

Airtel’s submission in Court

TGSPDCL’s counsel, N. Sridhar Reddy, stated that Airtel had permission to use 97,024 poles and had sought approval for another 18,896 on June 10. However, due to the similarity in cable colours, it was difficult for field staff to distinguish authorized connections from illegal ones.

Airtel’s counsel argued that the company was using optical fibre cables, which do not conduct electricity and therefore do not pose shock risks.

Next steps

The court adjourned the matter to August 25, directing both the Centre and the state government to submit a clear action plan to resolve the issue of unauthorised cables.