Internet Cables Cut Down, Hyderabad in Panic

Following recent orders from the Government of Telangana, officials of the Telangana Power Distribution Company (TGSPDCL) in Hyderabad have been clearing clogged electric lines. This action comes in the aftermath of a tragic incident where tangled electric wires led to multiple deaths in the city.

However, in the process, broadband internet cables that run closely alongside electric lines are also being removed. This has created a highly unusual situation in Hyderabad, leaving thousands of residents without internet access.

Several complaints have been filed by citizens across the city, as internet connections are being abruptly disrupted due to the clearance drive carried out by the power department workforce.

Reportedly, over 40,000 complaints have been registered from Airtel Wi-Fi users and another 20,000 from Jio Fiber users in Hyderabad alone. Internet service providers are flooded with grievances, while social media is buzzing with public outrage.

Former IT Minister K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) strongly criticized the Revanth Reddy government, stating:
“TGSPDCL is snapping internet cables across Hyderabad without any intimation to ISPs or customers. Social media is flooded with aggrieved netizens expressing anguish. Lakhs of internet users hit. Work-from-home disrupted. Daily life in chaos.

If there’s an issue with cables, there must be a proper process. But a clueless Revanth government resorts to such knee-jerk actions.”

The impact has been especially severe for work-from-home employees, whose dependency on stable WiFi networks has grown significantly after the Covid pandemic. Many feel that this sudden move by the power department has disrupted not just work, but also daily life across the city.