Overgrown trees pose safety risk for commuters on Ladowali Road

Thick overgrown trees along the central verge of Ladowali Road, right in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office are creating inconvenience for commuters, especially two-wheeler riders. The central divider is lined with dense vegetation, now resembling trees, which have not been pruned for months — leading to obstruction of streetlights.

The problem has worsened over time due to the Municipal Corporation’s failure to timely prune plants. “These bushes are no longer plants — they’re like trees now. At night, with covered streetlights, visibility drops drastically,” said Harpreet Singh, a daily commuter. “It becomes risky for bikers like us to drive on the road,” he said.

The issue isn’t limited to visibility. Whenever high-velocity wind blows or there is heavy rainfall or hailstorms, the threat escalates. Just 10 days ago, during rain coupled with strong winds, several of these overgrown plants fell onto the road. In some cases, branches broke and damaged electricity wires, causing outages and traffic obstructions.

The MC’s streetlight wing is also find it difficult to repair streetlights. “Our workers struggle to reach faulty streetlights because as the vegetation has spread too far across the divider,” said an employee from the civic body’s electrical wing.

A city-based environmentalist pointed out the flawed approach of the authorities. “Instead of regular pruning, the MC often ends up chopping the entire plant, which defeats the purpose of maintaining green belt0. What is needed is controlled, scientific pruning — not mass removal of plants,” the environmentalist said.

This overgrowth problem is not restricted to Ladowali Road. Similar scenes can be seen at multiple locations across the city, including Model Town, Guru Nanak Mission Chowk and other places, where central dividers are choked with untrimmed plants and saplings that have been left unchecked.

Another resident, Suman Arora, said, “Proper maintenance means monthly trimming. This kind of neglect is dangerous — especially during the monsoon.”

When contacted, Municipal Corporation officials said responsibility for maintaining several road dividers lies with private companies. “Some sections are under our care and others with private companies. We will ask officials concerned to inspect the area and ensure the necessary pruning of plants is done soon.”