Himachal emulates Bihar: Electric poles in road center
In Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, electric poles from an old power line were left standing right in the center of a freshly built road.
The road was widened without shifting these 25-year-old poles, turning everyday driving into an obstacle course and sparking safety worries.
A viral video even joked it's like a "driving test" for anyone passing through.
Planners didn't factor in electric lines at all
BJP MLA and ex-power minister Sukhram Chaudhary admitted that moving the poles hasn't happened because there's simply no money for it.
He pointed out that planners didn't factor in the electric lines at all, so now drivers are stuck dodging poles in traffic.
It's not a one-off either—similar things have happened elsewhere when planning falls short.
Why smart infrastructure matters for everyone's safety
This story is a wild example of how poor planning (and tight budgets) can put people at risk.
Electric poles in the middle of a road sound unreal, but it's actually happening—and shows why smart infrastructure matters for everyone's safety.