A newly completed road-widening project in Bihar, about 50 kilometres from Patna, is facing sharp criticism after large trees were left standing right in the middle of the freshly built road. The 7.48-kilometre stretch, part of the Patna-Gaya main road in Jehanabad district, looks newly paved and well-constructed — except for the fact that several full-grown trees disrupt the road, forcing drivers to swerve dangerously around them.
A photo showing a tree right in the middle of one lane has gone viral on social media. People are questioning how a project worth ₹100 crore could be completed without clearing such major obstructions. Many have raised concerns about poor planning, road safety, and lack of coordination between government departments.
According to a report by NDTV, officials were fully aware of the trees during construction. The issue began when the forest department was asked for permission to cut down the trees.
“Rejecting this request, the department demanded compensation for 14 hectares of forest land,” the report said.
Instead of resolving the matter or providing compensation, “the district administration did not heed to this demand, they did something unexpected — they constructed a road around the trees on the path,” it added.
The result is a bizarre and dangerous road where trees are not just few in number, but scattered across the stretch, forcing vehicles to drive in a zig-zag pattern.
“If one has to take this road, they have to prepare themselves to continuously zig-zag through them, making the road extremely dangerous.”
This unusual design has already caused several accidents, and residents are worried about the risk it poses, especially at night. As of now, there has been no official statement from the Bihar Road Construction Department or local authorities on how they plan to address the issue. The situation has sparked a larger conversation about whether safety and environmental planning are being ignored in infrastructure projects.
