A committee appointed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to investigate the Chembur tree collapse that killed 11-year-old schoolboy Vihaan Shrivastava has recommended holding contractors and the concerned civic departments directly accountable if tree roots are damaged during road or infrastructure works. The panel submitted its report to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide on Friday.
The report proposes that all future BMC tenders should include a mandatory clause assigning responsibility for protecting trees, particularly their root systems, during civic works. It also recommends making scientific assessments of the impact on tree roots compulsory before undertaking road, utility or other infrastructure projects, and deploying certified arborists and tree surgeons to supervise such works.
The recommendations follow the June 30 tragedy in Chembur, where a peepal tree collapsed onto a school bus, killing Class VI student Vihaan Shrivastava and injuring four other children. A preliminary inquiry found that the tree's primary roots had weakened, prompting the BMC to suspend three engineers and appoint a two-member inquiry committee.
The committee has also proposed launching a "Vrikshamitra" initiative to encourage housing societies, non-governmental organisations and residents to monitor the health of trees in their neighbourhoods and report potential hazards to the civic body.
According to the report, the BMC issued 428 notices between October 2023 and March 2026 over damage to tree roots during road and infrastructure projects, while 2,615 trees were found to have suffered root damage during the period. The report also noted a sharp rise in tree fall incidents this monsoon, with around 1,200 trees and branches collapsing in the first week of July alone.
Also Read: MPCB Issues Notice to Megha Engineering Over Pollution at Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project