Banking News – The Internet Service Providers’ Association of Nepal (ISPAN) has been granted a final 15-day extension to complete the management of tangled, unused, and hanging internet, telephone, and cable wires across the Kathmandu Valley, with the government making it clear that no further deadline extensions will be provided.

The decision was discussed during a meeting held at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, attended by representatives from the ministry, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), Nepal Telecom, ISPAN, and other concerned agencies.

During the meeting, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina reviewed the progress of the cable management campaign, discussed implementation challenges, and directed stakeholders to complete the work within the newly extended deadline.

“The government is committed to bringing the cable management campaign to a conclusion. While the work may take some time, the deadline will not be extended again,” Minister Timilsina said, urging ISPAN to promptly inform the government of any issues requiring policy-level intervention.

The minister stressed that proper cable management is both a legal and professional responsibility of service providers, adding that the current situation could have been avoided had the work been carried out in a timely manner. He also instructed officials to study the possibility of developing a shared infrastructure model that would allow multiple service providers to use common facilities.

Expressing dissatisfaction with both service providers and the regulator, Minister Timilsina said the failure to complete the work within the agreed timeframe reflected shortcomings on the part of both ISPAN and the Nepal Telecommunications Authority. He added that while the government is prepared to assist in resolving genuine problems, it will not tolerate unnecessary delays.

ISPAN Chief Executive Officer Subhas Khadka informed the meeting that around 58% of the work under the first phase has been completed across the six designated routes in the Kathmandu Valley. He added that cable management work is also underway in other parts of the country and suggested that establishing a dedicated infrastructure company would provide a long-term solution.

ISPAN also raised concerns over the lack of adequate infrastructure for telecommunications cables during the Nepal Electricity Authority’s underground electricity distribution projects. It said service providers have begun pilot underground internet cable projects in areas including Kalanki–Thankot and Chabahil–Boudha, while preparations are underway to deploy additional manpower.

According to ISPAN, implementation has been hindered by several operational challenges, including insufficient field support from the Nepal Electricity Authority and the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, workers being stopped by police, traffic police removing ladders used for maintenance work, and a shortage of skilled technicians. The association said it will now concentrate available manpower in specific areas to accelerate the remaining work.

At a high-level inter-agency meeting held on Asar 31, jointly chaired by Communications Minister Dr. Bikram Timilsina and Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, ISPAN had committed to completing the first phase of cable management in six designated areas of the Kathmandu Valley by Shrawan 15. The meeting also directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to play a leading regulatory role, required all service providers to attach clear identification tags to their cables, and emphasized regular coordination and continuous progress monitoring.

The first phase covers six major corridors: Tripureshwor–Kalimati–Kalanki, Jadibuti–Pepsicola, Tripureshwor–Lazimpat, Samakhushi–Town Planning–Gongabu, Kirtipur, and Old Baneshwor–Gaushala–Chabahil.