BMC Commissioner Orders Expert Review to Prevent Future Tree Falls

In response to the deadly peepal tree collapse that struck a school bus in Chembur West, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhidye has instructed a special committee to seek counsel from arboricultural experts. The panel, led by Deputy Commissioners Purushottam Malvade and Shashank Bhor, must submit a detailed report within eight days, outlining both immediate remedial actions and long‑term preventive strategies.

The incident, which occurred on June 30 at approximately 14:30, left twelve children rescued with minor injuries while an 11‑year‑old boy, Vihaan Srivastava, succumbed to his injuries. The tree, identified as a 60‑70‑year-old peepal, had previously been cleared in a May 12 survey and pruned on May 29 without any sign of structural weakness.

The BMC’s Parks Department, which regularly trims city trees, reported that 468 hazardous trees were felled and over 131,800 branches were trimmed in 2026. Historical data shows an upward trend in tree‑related incidents: 687 in 2023, 653 in 2024 and 855 in 2025, with a significant portion occurring in municipal versus private zones.

Commissioner Bhidye emphasized that the committee should prioritize periodic re‑inspection of high‑risk trees, accelerate removal of dangerous specimens, and develop a city‑wide monitoring framework that integrates expert advice with on‑ground municipal operations.