Overgrown thorny branches along the divider of Abul Fazal Enclave–Hari Kothi Road, from its starting point in front of Okhla Vihar Metro Station to Al-Shifa Hospital, are causing serious inconvenience to commuters, especially two-wheeler riders and e-rickshaw passengers. The plants lining the Abul Fazal Enclave divider have not been pruned for months, creating obstructions on the road. The situation worsened after heavy rain a few days ago, which caused some of the thorny branches to tilt, with their branches jutting further into the roadway.
Drivers and passengers alike report frequent injuries, traffic jams, and the looming risk of fatalities due to negligence by authorities on Abul Fazal Enclave road. A local driver named Md Babu said: “People here are facing a serious problem. The trees planted on the divider have become a danger to life.”
Abul Fazal Enclave: Branches with thorns, overgrown & unpruned
The trees were planted along the Hari Kothi Road divider in Abul Fazal Encalve, intended perhaps for beautification, now bend dangerously into the lanes. Frequent rain has worsened the situation by tilting branches further into the path of vehicles.
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“When vehicles pass on both sides, they brush against the branches. People get hurt, women’s dupattas get pulled. I got hurt once. One day a branch fell suddenly. If they prune them, it’ll be fine and there won’t be any problem. Earlier they pruned them once, but now due to the rain, the trees have overgrown again,” he said.
Another resident, an e-rickshaw driver, echoed his frustration: “These trees have thorns. People get scratched on their faces. Either set the trees properly or remove them. Traffic jams happen because of them, and after traffic jams, accidents happen. From here to Al-Shifa, the whole road gets jammed because of this.”
Calls for action: Lighting, pruning, maintenance on Abul Fazal Enclave road
Besides the thorny branches, the absence of functional streetlights exacerbates the danger, turning already-blind corners into accident traps. “At night the lights don’t work here, and that’s another big problem,” said one driver. “Suddenly someone swerves and crashes. The branches block the view ahead. And because there’s no light, you can’t see anything,” said a driver.
Residents are demanding the trimming of branches to a manageable level, restore streetlights, and improve road visibility. “We just want them to remove these problems, install proper lighting from here to the Metro tank, and prune these trees from Al-Shifa to here,” said one commuter.
“Prune the trees properly, keep them in line. Then there won’t be any problem,” Babu urged.
The issue, locals said, is not new, but no consistent maintenance of trees is being done.
‘Lives could be lost’
Residents also warned of the potentially fatal consequences if the situation is allowed to continue. “Lives could be lost,” Arsalan said. “This is an accident waiting to happen, maybe not today or tomorrow, but suddenly one day someone distracted, gets caught and dies. Then you can’t say sorry.”
Summing up the collective demand, social activist Arsalan said: “Clear the roads, trim the bushes and thorns. That’s my only appeal.”
Residents are asking for immediate pruning of trees, installation of streetlights, clearing of overgrowth, and regular maintenance to ensure safe passage for commuters and pedestrians alike.
Until then, the thorny dividers of Hari Kothi Road continue to endanger lives, a preventable hazard in one of Delhi’s most densely populated colonies.
