Authorities have approved the removal of 11,577 trees in Sarlahi, Mahottari, and Dhanusha for widening the Kamla–Dhalkebar–Pathlaiya section of the East–West Highway to four lanes. Mahottari will see the most trees felled (6,027), followed by Sarlahi (3,674) and Dhanusha (1,876). Tree cutting has already begun in Sarlahi and Dhanusha. Project Chief Rajesh Kumar Das noted that relocating electricity poles and water pipelines remains a major challenge, though the tree-cutting issue has finally been settled.
