Hyderabad Disconnected: Lakhs Plunge into Network Darkness as Cable Clean-Up Intensifies

Hyderabad, a bustling tech hub and a city deeply reliant on digital connectivity, found itself in an unprecedented communication crisis this week. A well-intentioned, yet disruptive, cable clean-up drive initiated by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has inadvertently severed the lifelines for lakhs of its residents, plunging them into a world without seamless mobile network access and internet.

The city's ambition to shed its tangled web of overhead cables and enhance urban aesthetics has come at a steep price.

As GHMC teams aggressively prune and remove what they deem illegal or haphazardly laid cables, a domino effect has swept across the metropolis. Mobile network operators, internet service providers, and DTH service providers, whose infrastructure often shares these common utility poles, are facing significant damage to their optical fibre cables and other crucial equipment.

From the early hours, reports flooded social media and local helplines – calls dropped, internet pages refused to load, and the ubiquitous UPI transactions became a futile exercise.

The impact has been far-reaching: students attending online classes were cut off, remote workers found their productivity crippled, small businesses relying on digital payments ground to a halt, and even critical emergency services faced delays in communication. The digital pulse of Hyderabad, usually vibrant and strong, has faltered, leaving a palpable sense of frustration and helplessness in its wake.

Areas spanning from the heart of the city to its burgeoning IT corridors have reported severe disruptions.

Residents woke up to the jarring reality of a disconnected existence, forcing them to dust off landlines (if they still had them) or desperately search for scarce Wi-Fi hotspots. The irony isn't lost on many: in a city that prides itself on its technological prowess, basic communication has become a luxury.

While the GHMC's intent to declutter the urban skyline and prevent hazards from dangling wires is commendable, the execution has drawn sharp criticism.

Many argue that such a large-scale operation, impacting essential services, should have involved better coordination with network providers, advanced public warnings, and a phased approach to minimize inconvenience. The lack of prior intimation for many residents and businesses has only exacerbated the public outcry.

Network operators are working round the clock to restore services, but the extensive damage means a swift resolution is challenging.

Repair crews are navigating the aftermath of the clean-up, racing against time to splice severed cables and bring Hyderabad back online. Until then, lakhs of citizens remain in a state of digital limbo, grappling with the unexpected consequences of a city-wide transformation drive that promises a cleaner future but delivers a disconnected present.