LMC removes cables over roads, BSNL service snapped

LUCKNOW: Services of government operator BSNL remained disrupted at many places in Lucknow on Saturday as LMC contractors snapped telecom cables suspended from street light poles while cleaning the roads ahead of UP Investors Summit 2018.
While LMC says such cables are a blot on the city's skyline and will create a poor impression upon tourists and visitors of the summit, BSNL complained that snapping wires will hamper service to hundreds of subscribers.
The problem has existed for quite some time now. LMC has instructed its contractors to clean the main arteries of the city by removing encroachment and clearing obstruction on roads so the contractors have been removing overhead cables from roads. During the exercise, a lot of telecom wires were snapped, disrupting voice and data services to people.
Devendra Singh, PGM (operations) in BSNL, Lucknow, said, "On Saturday, a lot of telephone exchanges were disrupted because of the cables being snapped on areas like Jopling Road, Narhi and Gomtinagar Extension. Earlier, our teams were restoring the cables but now LMC contractors are on an overdrive to remove the cables from roads. We are facing huge losses."
Lucknow municipal commissioner Uday Raj Singh claimed these grievances were not genuine. "We had been writing to them to remove telecom wires hanging above roads for the past many months but they never took action. It is when their cables are being snapped that they are realizing the rule. We cannot allow them to hang wires anywhere they want. We have instructed them to remove hanging wires from places like Lohiya Path, Ashok Marg, Sapru Marg, MG Marg on priority else we will remove them."