Patna: In what seemed like a plot straight out of a surreal road trip comedy, trees have become unexpected road dividers on the newly widened NH-83 Jehanabad bypass—literally standing in the middle of the road. Photos of vehicles swerving around green obstacles sparked online amusement and concern, but the Bihar Forest Department insists there’s more than just negligence at play.
On Tuesday evening, the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a clarification that, while the road construction may have advanced with enthusiasm, environmental protocol did not.
The department explained that the Jehanabad bypass is officially classified as ‘Protected Forest’ under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. That means the Road Construction Department couldn’t just bring in bulldozers and start chopping trees without first securing permission from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
Yes, that includes even if the trees are slap-bang in the middle of what should be a smooth highway.
A proposal for forest land diversion was, in fact, submitted by the Road Construction Department, the forest department noted. But there’s a catch: as per the rules, equivalent non-forest land must be provided in exchange for the diverted forest area. That hasn’t happened yet. As a result, no green signal has come from the Centre to legally cut down those trees.
“In the meantime,” the statement reads (one can almost hear the sigh), “the road construction department went ahead with the widening work without prior approval, leading to the present situation.” Translation: trees in the middle of the road, potential accidents, and a serious case of premature asphalting.
The forest department isn’t just leafing through rulebooks, though. A legal case has been filed in court against the unauthorised work, citing violations of both the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Local forest officials have also been directed to ensure that the leafy roadblocks don’t become literal roadblocks to public safety. Until then, commuters on NH-83 might want to treat their drive like an obstacle course—just with a lot more shade.
