Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court ruled on Friday that only licensed cables approved by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will be allowed on electricity poles.

During the hearing of a petition filed by Bharti Airtel, Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka expressed strong displeasure at the continuing risks posed by overhead cables.

The ruling follows the recent Ramanthapur mishap, where six people died after a cable wire came in contact with a temple chariot during the Janmasthami procession. Recalling the incident, the judge noted with anguish that a nine-year-old boy was forced to perform the last rites of his father instead of celebrating his birthday.

“A tender heart was broken. Who is responsible for this? We are all accountable; society must hang its head in shame,” he remarked. Lives cannot be protected with outdated laws. The court criticised officials for shirking responsibility after the fatal accident.

Justice Bheemapaka queried how public lives could be safeguarded under ‘outdated and ineffective laws.’ He said the excessive weight of multiple unauthorised cables was even causing poles to tilt, creating fresh danger. He came down heavily on official apathy, observing that some employees were enriching themselves through bribes while public safety was compromised.

“Instead of blaming each other, ensure that such incidents never repeat,” the judge directed.

When the petitioner’s counsel argued that the wires could not be distinguished as they were all black; you may not recognise the cables, but you certainly recognise Mahatma Gandhi on a currency note, he quipped.