After Chembur tree collapse, BMC starts audit of roots and diverted storm water drain lines

3 min readMumbaiJul 3, 2026 09:59 PM IST

The BMC has suspended three officers and formed a two-member inquiry panel after an 11-year-old boy died when a tree fell on a school bus in Chembur. (File)

Three days after a large peepal tree fell on a school van, killing 11-year-old Vihan Srivastava, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday carried out an inspection at the mishap site in Chembur’s 11th road to find out whether more trees in the locality have been affected by the BMC’s road concretising work which was completed by the authorities earlier in February.

The 11th road is a narrow internal road which has rows of residential buildings on two sides. The footpath adjoining the road comprises tree basins housing trees like Peepal and Sheesham growing up to a height of 60 meters and having an average age of 40-50 years.

The tree that collapsed on the June 30 incident was a 60-meter-long Peepal tree.

Civic sources stated during the inspection, the branches of some tall trees at 11th road were being pruned by the authorities.

“We have instructed that all the existing trees in Mumbai should be audited again. Special attention should be given on trees that are located in places where roads have been concretised recently,” Avinash Dhakane, an additional municipal commissioner told The Indian Express.

He said that during inspection, the roots of the trees are being examined to ascertain whether they have become hollow from inside. The officials from the BMC’s tree and department explained that owing to the concretisation work, the roots of the trees are unable to spread themselves horizontally or vertically as a result of which they tend to lose their balance with time as they lose their grip on the soil.

“In our preliminary investigation we found out that the existing storm water drain (SWD) line was diverted from its original alignment for the road works. As a result the surface beneath the road became weak, preventing the tree root from growing any further. Therefore there is a need to find out whether any other tree in that locality has been affected in the same manner,” another civic official told The Indian Express.

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The official said that in case a tree’s trunks and roots are found to be in a hollow state during the inspection, it will be felled and removed from the spot to prevent similar mishap. At the same time, if the branches of the tree are found to be overgrown then they will be pruned.

Following the tragedy, the civic administration has begun reassessing trees across Mumbai located along roads that have undergone concretisation works in recent years. Officials said the exercise aims to identify trees whose root zones may have been compromised during infrastructure works and assess whether remedial measures are required.

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.

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Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.

Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:

Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.

City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.

Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:

National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.

State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.

Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.

Experience

Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:

Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).

Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.

Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More