Two Injured After Banyan Tree Falls on Four Vehicles in Churchgate

Nearly two people were reportedly injured after a large banyan tree collapsed onto four vehicles near the B-2 Metro Station, opposite Kelan Bhavan in Churchgate, on Monday. The incident took place at around 12:36 pm, causing severe damage to the vehicles and disrupting vehicular movement on one side of the carriageway.

Visuals from the scene showed the heavy banyan tree brought down across the road, crushing four parked vehicles and damaging a nearby small roadside stall. The blockage impacted traffic flow in the bustling South Mumbai neighbourhood, prompting immediate concern among local commuters and residents.

Following the collapse, teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the local police, and municipal ward staff were mobilised to the spot. Personnel initiated rescue efforts and began road clearance operations to remove the debris, clear the damaged vehicles, and restore normal transit on the affected lane.

The collapse is the latest in a series of similar occurrences in the locality. Earlier in June, another tree-falling incident was reported in Churchgate when a tree was uprooted in front of Sydenham College during heavy rainfall, landing on a parked vehicle. While no injuries were recorded during that earlier incident, recurring collapses have heightened local concerns.

Across Mumbai, multiple tree-falling incidents were documented throughout the heavy showers of June and July. Uprooted trees and fallen branches have caused damage to parked vehicles and physical structures, and in several instances injured pedestrians and commuters.

Civic authorities have faced scrutiny regarding tree maintenance. Following a fatal tree collapse on a school bus in Chembur that claimed the life of a school student, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ordered a city-wide audit of roadside trees. The civic inspection focuses on examining tree root systems and reviewing non-deconcretised tree bases across the city.