SBOA Blames Mumbai Road Concreting and Heavy Machinery for Tree Fall Incidents

On July 1, 2026, the School Bus Owners’ Association (SBOA) in Mumbai raised critical safety concerns, linking the city's extensive road concreting projects to recent tree fall incidents. The association has questioned the overall effectiveness of the pre-monsoon tree inspections and structural stability audits conducted by authorities.

According to the SBOA, road concreting work carried out over the years across Mumbai has severely disturbed the roots of large and mature trees. The association pointed out that the movement and operation of heavy machinery during these construction projects may have weakened the tree roots, leading to sudden collapses.

Anil Garg, the president of the School Bus Owners’ Association, stated that these tree-fall incidents cannot be dismissed as mere acts of nature. He called for a thorough examination of the impact that urban infrastructure projects are having on the city's environment and public safety.

"It is important to examine whether large-scale road concreting work across Mumbai in recent years has affected the root systems and structural stability of old trees," Garg said.

The SBOA's concerns highlight a growing worry regarding the structural integrity of old trees lining Mumbai's busy transit routes. By questioning the effectiveness of pre-monsoon tree audits, the association is calling attention to the potential hazards faced by school buses and other vehicles operating on roads where tree roots may have been compromised by heavy construction machinery.

The association urges a closer inspection of how these large-scale road concreting projects are executed, stressing that the preservation of root systems is vital to preventing future tree collapses on Mumbai's streets.