Patna: The road construction department and the environment and forest department have joined hands to beautify Patna roads by planting saplings on the dividers and also on the empty land along main roads where road widening is not needed.

"The road construction department would bear the cost of this work and we have asked the forest department officials to work out the details after which necessary funds would be sanctioned," road construction principal secretary Amrit Lal Meena told The Telegraph on Thursday.

The first phase of the drive will cover Bailey Road and Kankerbagh Main Road (Old Bypass Road). On Bailey Road, the stretch of the upcoming Lohia Path Chakra will be exempt from the project because it already has in-built component for beautification. The work will start from the western end of Bailey Road at Saguna Mor up to the canal around 2km east.

"We intend to complete this project in six months," Meena said. "The aim of this project is to add some more green cover to Patna and also to beautify the city."

The start date will depend on the forest department, which will provide the saplings and be responsible the upkeep of the green cover.

Patna conservator of forest Gopal Singh said the type of plants and grass used would depend on the available space. Citing an example, he said the design would be such that along a 30-foot stretch on the road divider, two big trees would be planted at both ends and shrubs would be planted in the space between.

Similarly, on open spaces along roads, some plants would be planted along with grass.

"Green cover also helps in reducing the content of dust in the environment as the clay remains intact beneath the plants and grass cover," Singh said.

The triangular spaces near road junctions will and roundabouts will also be part of the drive. The forest department will take over maintenance work at those roundabouts that already have some green cover or landscaping.