The latest and most tragic incident occurred in Chembur on June 30, when a massive Peepal tree collapsed onto a school bus belonging to Universal High School. The devastating accident claimed the life of 11-year-old student Vihaan Srivastava. The tragedy has placed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) under intense scrutiny, raising serious concerns over its pre-monsoon inspections and claims of preparedness.
Official and institutional records present an alarming picture. During the past decade, more than 45 people have lost their lives in Mumbai due to falling trees and branches. According to data compiled by an independent organisation, tree collapse incidents between 2023 and 2026 alone have killed 12 people and seriously injured 125 others. Earlier records maintained by the Municipal Disaster Management Cell show that 37 deaths were reported in similar incidents between 2012 and 2019. Over the last ten years, the BMC has officially recorded more than 30,000 complaints and incidents involving fallen trees across the city.
The Chembur tragedy has become particularly disturbing because of the official findings released after the incident. According to the BMC, the Peepal tree that crashed onto the school bus was approximately 60 to 70 years old. Civic authorities stated that no public complaint had ever been received regarding the tree's condition before the accident.
The BMC further revealed that the tree had undergone an official pre-monsoon inspection on May 12 this year. During the inspection, it was found to be externally stable and safe. As part of the annual maintenance programme, its branches were pruned on May 29, after which the tree was again declared safe. Despite these inspections, the tree was uprooted without warning, highlighting a critical concern that trees weakened internally by concrete encroachment and unplanned root damage may appear healthy from the outside while gradually losing structural stability beneath the surface.
According to official BMC figures, the civic body identified and removed 468 dead or highly dangerous trees across Mumbai during its 2026 pre-monsoon preparedness drive. It also carried out branch pruning on approximately 100,318 trees throughout the city. Nevertheless, the death of Vihaan Srivastava has exposed significant shortcomings in these preventive measures. Following the Chembur incident, the Municipal Commissioner has directed authorities to conduct a fresh, time-bound re-inspection and pruning exercise of potentially hazardous and vulnerable trees across Mumbai.
Experts argue that heavy rainfall and strong winds alone cannot explain the growing number of tree collapses in the city. Multiple studies have identified serious human-made and administrative factors that are weakening Mumbai's urban tree cover.
One of the primary concerns is extensive concrete construction around tree bases. According to the National Green Tribunal guidelines, at least one metre of open soil must remain around the trunk of every tree. However, an environmental report by IIT Bombay states that footpath redevelopment and road-widening projects frequently seal tree bases with concrete and paving blocks. As a result, roots are deprived of adequate oxygen and water, causing gradual internal decay and weakening. The Peepal tree involved in the Chembur tragedy is believed to have suffered from this form of internal root suffocation.
The Bombay Natural History Society has also highlighted another major problem. Continuous excavation for underground utility infrastructure, including electrical cables, gas pipelines and sewer networks, often results in contractors cutting primary and secondary anchor roots during construction work. Once these structural roots are damaged, trees lose their grip on the soil and become highly vulnerable to collapse during adverse weather conditions.
Another factor identified by experts is the widespread plantation of non-native tree species across Mumbai. Data from the BMC Tree Authority indicates that species such as Gulmohar, Rain Tree and Peltophorum, commonly known as Yellow Gulmohar, have been planted extensively throughout the city. Although these trees grow rapidly and develop large canopies, they possess comparatively shallow root systems. In Mumbai's sandy and rocky soil conditions, such trees often fail to withstand the pressure of strong monsoon winds, making them more susceptible to uprooting.
The Chembur tragedy has once again highlighted the urgent need for stronger safeguards to protect Mumbai's urban trees without compromising public safety. Experts believe that unless infrastructure projects adopt strict and transparent policies to protect root systems and remove excessive concrete surrounding trees, fatal tree collapse incidents during the monsoon will remain a persistent challenge, putting countless lives at risk every year.
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