Over 100 Saturday Tree Falls in Dadar and Other Neighborhoods Spark Safety Concerns
A surge of 103 tree and branch fall incidents occurred across Mumbai on Saturday, including in Dadar, Matunga, Khar, Chembur, Churchgate, Malabar Hill, Peddar Road, and the Gateway of India. The widespread collapses have raised serious public safety concerns and prompted strong criticism of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) lack of preparedness and technical expertise in managing the city's trees.
The incidents occurred at a time when the city is still reeling from the death of 11-year-old Vihaan Shrivastava, who was killed on the preceding Tuesday after a tree fell on his school bus.
On Saturday, the tree falls resulted in injuries and property damage in several neighborhoods. In Matunga, 55-year-old domestic help Anita Shirke suffered injuries to her head and right hand when a branch suddenly fell on her while she was walking. Shirke reported feeling numb and experiencing severe head pain, noting that she was heading to a private hospital to assess the seriousness of her injuries.
Meanwhile, in Malabar Hill, an old banyan tree collapsed on L D Ruparel Marg at approximately 2:45 p.m. The collapse damaged the boundary wall of an adjoining property and crushed a parked car. The driver, who was inside the vehicle at the time, managed to escape without injuries, according to local residents.
The surge in incidents has drawn sharp criticism from experts. Nagesh Tekale, an arborist, stated that the BMC lacks a comprehensive plan to solve the recurring problem despite hundreds of tree falls happening every year. Tekale pointed out that the officials and departments responsible for tree maintenance do not have the necessary technical capability.
According to Tekale, the civic body's tree department needs a fundamental overhaul and should be staffed with trained arborists. He questioned whether officials examine basic factors such as whether trees receive adequate sunlight, the condition of their roots, or nearby construction activity. Tekale also highlighted a lack of specialized education and training in tree management among civic bodies and educational institutions.
The Saturday incidents follow other recent tragedies in the city. On May 16, 78-year-old Jiviben Patel suffered partial paralysis and severe memory loss after a tree branch fell on her in Ghatkopar. Earlier in May, 15-year-old Aarika Shrivastava was killed when a tree fell on the rickshaw she was traveling in.
