Shillong, Jun 30: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma yesterday chaired a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya Energy Corp Ltd (MeECL), cable operators, DTH and internet service providers to begin a coordinated effort to remove non-functional cables, hanging wires and unused infrastructure across Shillong.
One of Shillong’s most glaring eyesores is all the cluttered, tangled and ubiquitous wiring, which includes power lines, cable TV wiring, broadband internet cables, etc.
The CM said that this has been a long-standing issue, and while it cannot be resolved overnight, the authorities have to start somewhere.
Sangma said that with the National Games coming next year, the government is committed to improving the city’s appearance through a phased, practical approach.
Meanwhile, today Sangma informed that a strategy has been chalked out where all stakeholders will be brought together to see how this mess can be cleaned up.
“Streamline them and create a system which is much more organised and remove the cables which are not in use and since a large number of the operators mentioned that some of the cables are lying with no use,” Sangma stated.
The CM informed that a pilot project will begin in a few days from now.
He said that initially certain areas will be taken up in a phase-wise manner, adding that in the limited time available before the National Games, the project cannot be taken up throughout the city.
“But the major junctions, roads, highways – the pilot project will be taken up to ensure the cables are removed and to make the overall look of the city better,” Sangma stated.
He added that the power cables will not be touched during this phase since that will require major investment to bury them underground.
