Mumbai police, BMC remove dangling overhead wires near Crawford Market

While Nagdevi and Sarang streets have been freed of wires, those around Crawford Market will be cleared in the coming days

A massive fire on Abdul Rehman Street near Crawford Market, which gutted a 102-year-old structure a few days ago, has got the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and fire department thinking about the entangled cable and Internet wires that dangle over the narrow lanes in and around Crawford Market. The fact that these wires pose a threat to the vehicles passing through the lanes and also to those who live there has been discussed several times but no action has been taken. Considering the seriousness of the situation, the civic body and local police started removing the wires on Wednesday. While the work has been completed at Nagdevi and Sarang streets, the other areas which would be freed of the wires in the coming days, are Narayan Dhuru street, Janjikar street, Nagdevi cross-lane, Bibijan street and Bhajipala street.

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While most parts of the city face the issue of entangled wires, the situation poses a greater threat in areas where the roads are narrow. Though the local police and ward office have been discussing the matter for a while, the fire at Abdul Rehman Street triggered the action. After the fire brigade submitted a report in the matter, the local ward office along with the police started removing the wires from areas in and around Mashid area and Crawford Market. Senior inspector, Mahesh Bolake of Paydhooni police station had written a letter to the local ward officer on July 7 raising a concern about the threat that the hanging wires pose to vehicles passing through the lanes.

According to sources, last year a JCB had got stuck on Sarang street due to the wires during rescue operations post a building collapse incident. A similar incident happened on Kambekar street where a dumper got stuck while carrying out work under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Local corporator, Aafreen Shaikh, who backed the move, said, "Many people from Khoka bazaar and Nagdevi street had filed complaints with me regarding the wires. It becomes a matter of concern in emergency situations. We also face problems during Ganpati visarjan."

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Sources said that the work of removing the wires started on Wednesday and was likely to take a week to be completed. "We have informed BEST, MTNL, local cable and Internet service operators about the move. Some of the local cable operators had come to us with their problems but they have been told about the guidelines according to which they should provide service through underground wires. We cannot compromise public safety," said Vinayak Vispute, assistant commissioner of C ward. Meanwhile, Firoz Shamsi, a local vendor told mid-day, "We have faced problems due to the entangled wires in the past and complaints have been registered with the local corporator. The fire brigade vehicles are unable to enter the lanes due to them. We are happy that the BMC is removing them. People might face issues with cable and Internet services for a while but it will be beneficial for all."

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