Bengaluru to bury 12,800 kilometers of overhead cables underground in Rs 200 crore project
The project is part of the “Brand Bengaluru” campaign to improve the city’s infrastructure. The underground corridor will house optical fiber cables for telecommunications and power lines. The city already has about 15,000 kilometers of ducts, which will be used for the new corridor.
“The ambitious project aims to establish an extensive underground utility corridor across Bengaluru, replacing the existing overhead OFCs with a robust, city-wide optical fibre network that will integrate both telecommunications and electrical infrastructure. A significant portion of the ducts—approximately 3,400km long — has been allocated to electricity utilities such as Bescom, and Smart City projects,” said BBMP chief engineer BS Prahalad.
Overhead cables currently draped over footpaths, trees, and poles pose safety risks and detract from the city's aesthetics. “The presence of hanging OFCs on footpaths, trees, and electricity poles has long been a concern for residents and commuters in Bengaluru. These unauthorised cables, often installed by various telecom, TV, and internet service providers, not only tarnish the city's aesthetics but also pose serious risks to pedestrians and motorists,” Prahalad told TOI. The move underground is expected to eliminate these hazards. “The shift to underground ducts will eliminate these hazards and create a safer, cleaner urban space,” he added.
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