Trees planted along VIP Road, between Golaghata and Ultadanga, are being repeatedly cut down, allegedly on the instructions of advertising agencies that have billboards on the stretch.

Sufal Sapui, who was arrested on Tuesday for felling trees along VIP Road, told Lake Town police that he was engaged by the advertising agencies.

Over 50 trees on the stretch were either cut down or pruned severely since Friday. This is the third time within a year that trees have been chopped on the stretch.

“The pruning and axing of trees between Ultadanga and Golaghata have been going on for a long time. We had lodged complaints with the police earlier as well,” said A.K. Raha, the principal chief conservator of forests.

The forest department is the owner of the trees, but the police and agencies such as PWD are responsible for their upkeep.

About a year ago, nearly 3,000 neem saplings were planted between Keshtopur and Ultadanga for the beautification of VIP Road and to improve the air quality.

“Only trees on the 400-ft-long divider between VIP Road and the service road are being cut down,” said a senior forest department official.

“The trees planted elsewhere have grown to a height of nearly seven feet,” added the official. “There are 10 billboards beside the stretch. They can’t be seen clearly from the road if the trees grow tall. The advertisers don’t want this. So, they are cutting down the trees.”

The advertising agencies that own the billboards refused comment.

“Neither the forest officials nor we have enough manpower to maintain a vigil on the trees,” said a police officer.

The PWD, too, refused to take responsibility. “We have handed over the charge of maintaining the greenery to a private agency,” said an official.

Raha said the forest department would start proceedings against Sapui. “We will book him under the Damage to Public Property Act and Preservation of Trees in Non-forest Areas Act,” he said.