Ahmedabad: Cable theft disrupts phone services in Navrangpura, Ellisbridge

Ahmedabad: Repeated theft of underground communication cables along Ashram Road disrupted telephone services across parts of Navrangpura, Ellisbridge and Gulbai Tekra over the past several weeks, prompting BSNL officials to approach police. A complaint was filed with Navrangpura police on Feb 9 by a junior telecom officer posted at the local telephone exchange.According to the FIR, customers began reporting dead phone lines on Dec 21, 2025. A field inspection revealed that the covers of underground cable ducts near the old Reserve Bank gate on Ashram Road had been opened and pits dug. Checks showed that two copper cables — one 1,600-pair and one 400-pair, each about 50 metres long — were missing between the old RBI gate and a nearby showroom, causing widespread disruption. The estimated loss was Rs 2 lakh. Temporary repairs were carried out to restore services.However, the problem resurfaced on Dec 31, when staff found another trench dug near a school gate on Ashram Road. Further inspection revealed theft of multiple copper cables, including 1,600-pair, 800-pair and 400-pair cables of varying lengths, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 7 lakh. Services were again affected in adjoining areas.On Feb 8, officials detected fresh damage along the same stretch, where fibre cables were cut, leading to partial shutdown of systems, though no theft was reported on that occasion. BSNL officials believe the acts were carried out at night by more than one person, given the scale of excavation and repeated targeting of the same corridor.Police said a case of theft and damage to public property was registered against unknown persons. CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed, and patrols around vulnerable areas have been intensified. An investigation is underway to identify the culprits and prevent further disruption to essential communication services.