What Is the Secret Behind Mapo-gu Achieving First Place Nationwide in Public Cable Project Evaluation?

Additional 600 million KRW for incentive project funds, totaling 3.2 billion KRW for overhead line maintenance...Improved walking environment, maintenance distance increased 147% to 57,061m compared to last year...This year's maintenance areas: Daeheung-dong, Sinsu-dong, Hapjeong-dong, Mangwon 1-dong, Mangwon 2-dong, Yeonnam-dong, total 6 districts

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yudonggyun) has launched a large-scale maintenance project this year as well to address overhead cables that are intricately tangled in the air, detracting from the urban landscape and causing safety issues.

Starting this year, the budget for overhead cable maintenance projects is allocated based on each region's overhead line maintenance plan. The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Telecommunications Business Association evaluate local governments as ‘high, medium, or low’ and provide incentives accordingly. Mapo-gu ranked first nationwide among 51 local governments, including 25 autonomous districts in Seoul and 26 autonomous cities nationwide, receiving an incentive of 600 million KRW.

Accordingly, with a total project budget of approximately 3.2 billion KRW, the district can maintain more areas within the region. The maintenance zones this year include Daehyeong-dong, Sinsu-dong, Hapjeong-dong, Mangwon 1-dong, Mangwon 2-dong, and Yeonnam-dong, totaling six zones.

The project sections were selected based on surveys conducted in each neighborhood, prioritizing narrow alleys and areas near old residential neighborhoods where residents have frequently requested maintenance.

The project period is from the end of May to December, and the district plans to complete all maintenance in the overhead cable maintenance zones by the end of this year.

The maintenance scale includes 1,747 utility poles and 532 communication poles, with a total maintenance distance of 57,061 meters, which is a 147% increase compared to last year's 38,815 meters.

Disorderly proliferated broadcasting and communication lines, excessively long slack cables, abandoned lines, and diagonal lines are the targets of maintenance. These not only impair the urban landscape but also cause pedestrian inconvenience and traffic disruptions. Through this maintenance, the district expects a significant improvement in the local pedestrian environment.

Meanwhile, since 2020, the district has designated ‘section-responsible telecommunications companies’ to carry out efficient and responsible overhead line maintenance.

Before joint maintenance with telecommunications companies, some sections were inadequately maintained due to certain companies. By designating a ‘section-responsible telecommunications company’ for each section, systematic maintenance can be conducted efficiently for the assigned sections.

Additionally, in December, when the maintenance project is completed, a satisfaction survey will be conducted among residents in the six project sections to reflect their opinions in next year’s projects, aiming to further increase resident satisfaction.

Yudonggyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “Along with this overhead line maintenance project, we will focus on providing a safe pedestrian environment and a pleasant urban environment to residents through undergrounding projects, making Mapo a better place to live.”