ISPAN granted 15-Day extension for overhead wire management as Ministry warns of “final chance”

KATHMANDU — The Ministry of Information and Communication has granted a final 15-day extension to the Internet Service Providers’ Association of Nepal (ISPAN) to clear tangled overhead cables in the Kathmandu Valley, warning that no further delays will be tolerated.

The decision was made during a stakeholder review meeting held on Friday under the chairmanship of Information and Communication Minister Dr. Bikram Timilsina. The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Energy, Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), Nepal Telecom, ISPAN, and other regulatory bodies to review progress on the cleanup drive.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the failure to meet the original July 31 deadline, Minister Timilsina criticized both ISPAN and the regulatory authority NTA for failing to deliver results on time. He emphasized that managing the haphazard cables remains a legal and professional obligation of service providers and urged them to explore infrastructure-sharing models as a long-term solution.

ISPAN Chief Executive Officer Subash Khadka reported that around 58 percent of the management work across six designated routes in the Kathmandu Valley has been completed. Service providers cited several field challenges, including lack of coordination from law enforcement, traffic police intervention, and shortage of skilled labor, while proposing the establishment of an independent infrastructure company for long-term management.

Under the initial plan agreed upon on July 15, wire management is prioritized across six major corridors, including Tripureshwor–Kalanki, Jaddibuti–Pepsicola, Tripureshwor–Lainchaur, and Chabahil–Boudha. The Ministry confirmed that the requested 15-day period marks the absolute deadline for service providers to show tangible completion.