The Patna High Court has expressed serious concern over the lack of afforestation along National Highways (NH) and State Highways in Bihar. The court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Bihar government to submit a detailed report within two weeks on the steps taken to control pollution caused by road transport.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sudhir Singh and Justice Rajesh Kumar Verma issued this directive while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by an advocate. The petitioner informed the court that Bihar has approximately 6,147 kilometers of National Highways, and in recent years, 38 State Highways (2,515 kilometers) are being converted into National Highways. Of these, about 3,189 kilometers are maintained by NHAI and 2,589 kilometers by the state government.

Despite this, the petitioner argued, most highways lack adequate tree cover, which is crucial for controlling vehicular pollution and environmental protection. The NHAI's counsel, Maurya Vijay Chandra, assured the court that the authority is actively working on afforestation along national highways and has already planted trees on several NHs in Bihar. Conversely, the state government's counsel, Prabhakar Jha, stated that the forest department had sent multiple letters to NHAI regarding afforestation along the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi national highway but received no response, highlighting a lack of coordination between the departments.

After hearing both sides, the High Court ordered NHAI and the state government to file a detailed affidavit within two weeks, outlining the status of roadside afforestation and measures being taken for pollution control. This order is expected to accelerate efforts to increase greenery and mitigate pollution along Bihar's highways.