Coastal Road Cable Theft Leaves Mumbai Stretches Dark, BMC Begins Restoration Drive

Mumbai's Coastal Road (South) has been plagued by repeated cable thefts that have left sections of the high-speed thoroughfare in darkness and disabled CCTV surveillance, prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to launch an urgent restoration and preventive drive in collaboration with the Mumbai Police.

Officials from the BMC and Mumbai Police convened recently to tackle the recurring theft and cutting of streetlight and CCTV communication cables on the access-controlled corridor. The restoration effort aims to prevent further disruptions and enhance road safety.

Originally, the road's streetlights were illuminated using copper cables, but the power cables have been repeatedly stolen or cut since the road opened. The BMC responded by swapping the copper cables for aluminium ones, but the thefts continued.

The aluminium power cables are now also being repeatedly stolen or cut, particularly near Mahalaxmi Temple, Madrasi Wadi, Markandeshwar Temple, and Worli, according to a civic official. The BMC has had to replace the damaged or stolen aluminium cables an average of two to three times on several stretches, only for the thieves to target them again.

Since uninterrupted streetlighting is crucial for motorists' safety, the BMC has replaced power cables covering an estimated 110 km as part of the restoration and preventive measures. However, several streetlights remain non-functional, creating dark patches at locations including Worli and near Mahalaxmi Temple.

Moreover, the cutting and theft of fibre communication cables have rendered around 60-65 CCTV cameras inoperative. The BMC and Mumbai Police are rapidly working on cable restoration and reinforcing measures to thwart further thefts.