The city government here is eyeing a massive implementation of underground cabling of power and telecommunication wires as it aspires to be like Singapore.

Councilor Jerry Guardo, chair of the Cebu City Council committee on infrastructure, on Thursday, said the effort to hide underground power and telco cables would cover about 90 kilometers of power and telco lines.

The effort, he said, goes with the ambition of the city to replicate Singapore’s best practices.

“We are finalizing the terms of reference of the agreement with the provider of underground electric cable wires,” he said.

Guardo said a study on underground cabling is underway side-by-side with the transfer of the two skywalks, restoration of the sidewalks from illegal occupants, and rehabilitation of the drainage system due to the construction of terminals for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

“Coming from the Capitol to Fuente (Osmena), they diverted the culverts to B. Rodriguez St., and the culverts in Fuente area were diverted to P. del Rosario St., from Elizabeth Mall to JV Tower diverted to Leon Kilat,” Guardo said.

The diversion is needed to clear out areas of structures, including the drainage, so as not to disturb the alignment of the BRT project.

Package 1 of the BRT project is expected to be operational between June and July. (PNA)