Wired: The Chaotic Electricity Cables Of India's Old Delhi

The webs of wire spaghetti help to power the Indian capital - but serve up a nightmare for electricians.

Power theft is common in the walled city, meaning the area is prone to power outages and blackouts.

Tota Ram, who lives in Old Delhi, said: “Primarily, this is the government’s fault that they have not managed these electricity and cable wires.

“But the local people are also responsible - they are happy to get a cable across from anywhere for their convenience.”

When monsoon season strikes the density of wires can be dangerous, with broken electricity cables falling into pools of water.

It has been reported that the Delhi government aims to relocate the wires underground, but the physical work is yet to get underway.

Old Delhi resident Mohit Issar said: “If people stop stealing electricity, there would be less power cuts and even less wires hanging over our heads all the time.

“Authorities would also act if they see an effort from locals.”

According to World Bank data, more than a fifth (22.3%) of people in India still have no access to electricity.