Nothing in this act¹ shall prevent the repair, maintenance or reconstruction of existing telephone properties, or the addition of necessary circuits to existing lines, to accommodate increase in business of the same character. Provided that it is hereby declared unlawful for any telephone company in building, repairing or maintaining any telephone line to cut down, trim, disturb or injure any shade tree on any public road or highway, or on any parkage on any street in any city or town, without first obtaining the consent of the abutting property owner so to do, and in the maintenance of telephone line it is hereby declared unlawful for any telephone company to construct their lines so that the wires or cables shall injure any such shade trees on such road or highway or on any parkage within any city or town.