Pune, 22 April 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is set to adopt a Hyderabad-style model to regulate overhead cables, with immediate orders to remove wires along the Palkhi route ahead of the Ashadhi Wari. The directive was issued by Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divte during a high-level review meeting.
Civic officials said the city’s growing network of overhead cables has led to safety hazards and affected its appearance. In response, PMC is preparing a comprehensive policy to gradually shift cables underground and streamline their management.
During the meeting, authorities reviewed existing telecom, internet, and cable networks across the city. It was observed that many installations do not follow rules under the Telecommunication Act. Officials have been asked to make the permission process more transparent and efficient while ensuring compliance.
PMC will also complete pending surveys to map cable networks across the remaining parts of the city. A significant number of unauthorized cables have been found, prompting the need for strict enforcement of regulations.
Officials emphasized that better planning is essential to reduce accidents and improve the city’s aesthetics.
As part of the new approach, PMC is studying Hyderabad’s system to fix minimum height standards for overhead cables. It also plans to introduce a policy for installing dedicated poles with a structured rental mechanism. Additionally, road crossings will be required to use underground ducts instead of overhead wiring.
“An online system will be developed to speed up permissions for cable service providers. Until then, approvals will be given through a single-window system. We will also appoint nodal officers from police, traffic police, MSEDCL, and Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited to monitor the process,” said Omprakash Divte, Additional Municipal Commissioner.
