Cypress trees planted beneath a concrete flyover at the Marsa Junction have been removed, Infrastructure Malta has said after a photo of the awkwardly planted trees spread across social media.

Arnold Cassola was among those to share a photo of saplings planted just metres beneath tons of concrete.

“It’s very good that we’re not forgetting about trees,” Nationalist MP David Thake wrote in a tongue-in-cheek post that prompted several bemused comments.

“But are we aware that trees grow? Perhaps planting them right beneath the bridge might be a problem?” Thake asked. 

An Infrastructure Malta spokesman told Times of Malta that the trees in question have been removed and will be replaced with shrubs. 

He noted that the photo in question depicted “six out of 7,770 new trees planted as part of this project” by the infrastructure agency. The six trees removed will be replanted in a nearby area, the spokesman added.

A Times of Malta photographer who visited the site on Saturday morning confirmed that the cypress trees pictured in the original photo were no longer there. 

Trees planted directly beneath the flyover have been removed. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

A number of other trees - oak trees - planted as part of the Marsa Junction project also appear to be poorly placed at first glance, with steel and concrete directly above them. 

However, the IM spokesman said these trees would not be encumbered by the flyover and would "grow around the structure" as their growth was not purely vertical, unlike cypress trees.  

Oak trees are slow-growing trees that can however reach heights of 20m or more, given time. 

Other trees planted as part of the project appear to be precariously positioned, but an agency spokesman said they will grow without issue.

The €70 million EU-funded Marsa Junction project – the country’s largest-ever infrastructural project - was inaugurated this week by Prime Minister Robert Abela. It features seven flyover structures, 12 kilometres of new lanes, 3.5 kilometres of footpaths and cycle lanes, two footbridges, bus lanes, a 380-space car park and 15 kilometres of underground networks.

According to Infrastructure Malta, the project will cut 79 per cent of travel time and 70 per cent of air pollution in the area.