Dangling Death Trap: Loose Cables Put Public at Risk

Dangling Death Trap: Loose Cables Put Public at Risk

By LB Thapa

It has become a ubiquitous and hazardous sight in Pokhara: thick bundles of internet and television cables drooping precariously from poles and building corners, hanging just above the heads of pedestrians and commuters. This growing problem is a direct consequence of the city's rapid urbanization. As Pokhara's population has swelled, so has the demand for connectivity, leading to a chaotic scramble among the city's approximately 14 different internet and TV cable service providers, all vying for customers with little regard for order or safety. 

A huge collection of cable wires lay at the gate of the Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City office building. Photo: LB Thapa 

A Culture of Carelessness 

The root of the issue lies with the very workers installing these lines. A general lack of discipline and a careless attitude prevail. It is a common experience for residents to ask workers to clear away the excess cable after an installation, only to be met with silence and indifference. The workers complete their immediate task, leaving behind a tangled mess of redundant wires that accumulates over time, turning utility poles into unsightly and dangerous hazards. 

A Recipe for Disaster 

Photo: LB Thapa

These seemingly innocuous loose wires are more than just an eyesore; they are a clear and present danger. They hang at just the right height to entangle unsuspecting motorcyclists and cyclists. The result is often catastrophic. There have already been numerous accidents where riders have been clotheslined by these dangling cables, leading to serious injuries and, tragically, even loss of life. The threat is not hypothetical; it is a recurring reality on Pokhara's roads. 

A Cry for Help Ignored 

A big-sized cable has been left dangling right in front of the main gate of a house at Ranipauwa, Pokhara. Photo: LB Thapa

For residents living with this danger daily, the situation is terrifying. Hari Kala Gurung, a local of Ranipauwa, recently found herself facing this threat directly at her own front gate. A large, heavy cable had been left dangling ominously at her entrance for over two days. 

“I am terrified,” she expressed in frustration. “I have no idea if this cable is live with electric current. I reported it to the ward office, but after two days, no one has come to inspect it. I am now considering filing a report at the police station. This matter cannot be taken for granted. A serious accident can happen at any moment.” 

Her plight highlights a critical failure in local governance: the ward office, the government body closest to the people, has proven deaf to their complaints. 

A City Government in Slumber 

This negligence points to a larger, more troubling pattern of incompetence within the Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City office. The current mayor has become a subject of public ridicule for his inability to tackle the city's most pressing issues. For over three months, the city has been drowning in its own waste, with mountains of garbage festering in plain sight. The administration's only response has been a feeble "just wait," as they claim to search for a new dumping site. 

The depth of this administrative paralysis is perfectly illustrated by a single, damning image: a large, unused bundle of cables has been left to dangle right at the main gate of the Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City building itself. If cable workers feel emboldened to leave their mess at the very doorstep of the authorities meant to regulate them, what hope is there for the rest of the city? 

With the mayor's office consumed by the garbage crisis and the ward offices unresponsive to complaints, the citizens of Pokhara are left with a desperate question: where can they turn? 

The growing heaps of garbage are a visible source of disease and pollution, a testament to administrative failure. The dangling cable wires, though less conspicuous, are an equally potent symbol of this neglect—a potential cause of fatal injury that could strike at any moment. 

The people of Pokhara are left hoping that their mayor will finally wake from his slumber and extend his attention from the trash on the streets to the death traps hanging above them. The question is how many more accidents must happen before he does?    

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