The wires hang almost like a canopy over these ancient, dense neighbourhoods. Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE
Governance

Wire nests too close for comfort in Old Delhi

  In the ancient and densely packed alleyways of Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Darya Ganj, and Matia Mahal, they enhance the risk of fires, electrocution and short circuits

DTE Staff

  • In the bustling lanes of Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk, tangled nests of electrical, internet, and cable wires pose significant risks, including short circuits and fires.

  • The Delhi Government has proposed a scheme, 'Taaron Ke Jaal Se Mukti,' with a budget of Rs 100 crore to address this hazardous situation.

In the old, narrow bustling alleyways of Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, hang ‘nests’ of wires. These can be electrical, internet and cable wires.

While such wire nests are not exclusive to Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi, it is here that they pose a great magnitude of danger for the residents, hanging almost like a canopy over the ancient lanes.

They can cause electrocution and tragedy at any time.

Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Darya Ganj, and Matia Mahal are full of such nests, which pose the risk of short circuits, electrocution and fire, given these neighbourhoods’ population density and the age of the wires.

The government has a plan to get rid of these nests. It has allocated Rs 100 crore for the same.

The Delhi Government had presented a scheme titled “Taaron Ke Jaal Se Mukti” (freedom from the web of wires) in its maiden budget in March this year. It has also allocated a budget of Rs 100 crore to tackle the problem.