Mess of wires make it incredibly difficult for electricians to work on and fix

cables are seen tangled and knotted in the Indian capital, Delhi

Shocking new images have emerged showing dangerously tangled electricity cables hanging over a busy city centre in India.

The webs of wire spaghetti may help to power the thriving Indian capital of Delhi but they serve up a nightmare for electricians who struggle to fix power outages and blackouts.

Many of the cables have been placed illegally, with locals taking advantage of the confusing tangles to steal power from their neighbours or commercial properties.

Shocking: The webs of wire spaghetti may help to power the thriving Indian capital of Delhi but they serve up a nightmare for electricians who struggle to fix power outages and blackouts

Tangled: Many of the cables have been placed illegally, with locals taking advantage of the confusing tangles to steal power from their neighbours or commercial properties

Mess: Dangerously tangled electricity cables are seen hanging over a busy city centre in India

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

Tota Ram, who lives in 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.

Chaos: Power theft is common in Delhi, meaning the area is prone to power outages and blackouts

Electrical wires are seen dangling over a house (left) and shops (right) in the Indian capital Delhi

Not safe: When monsoon season strikes the density of wires can be dangerous, with broken electricity cables falling into pools of water

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,' he added.

According to World Bank data 22.3 per cent of people in India still have no access to electricity.

The images of the tangled cables emerged as 12 people were killed when an old building on the outskirts of Mumbai collapsed after days of heavy rain.

S.S. Guleria, Deputy Inspector General of the National Disaster Response Force, says nine other people living in the building were rescued after it collapsed just after midnight Monday.

Guleria said Tuesday that the building, located in the Mumbai suburb of Thane, was more than 50 years old and had been damaged by the rain.

Mumbai and its surrounding areas in the western Indian state of Maharashtra experience heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, which runs from June through September.

.The rains routinely damage buildings, especially those that are either old or poorly built.

Hard to follow: Electrical wires are seen dangling over a house at Chandni Chowk in the Indian capital Delhi

Electrical wires are seen dangling over houses and shops at Chandni Chowk in the Indian capital Delhi