Chembur Tree Collapse: BMC Probe Gives Clean Chit to Civic Departments; Recommends INR 7 Lakh Penalty on Contractor, Consultant

A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inquiry committee has cleared the civic body's Roads and Gardens departments of negligence in the fatal Chembur tree collapse that claimed the life of an 11-year-old schoolboy, while recommending a total penalty of INR 7 lakh on the contractor and consultant overseeing stormwater drain works near the site.

The incident occurred on June 30, when a large peepal tree collapsed onto a school bus in Chembur, killing Vihaan Srivastava (11) and injuring four other children. The committee, constituted by Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, found no prima facie fault with the Roads or Gardens departments, stating that both had taken necessary precautions before and during the infrastructure work. 

According to the report, the Gardens Department had carried out pre-monsoon pruning and had repeatedly alerted the Roads Department about protecting the tree during stormwater drain construction. The Roads Department, in turn, modified the drain alignment to avoid damaging the tree's roots and instructed the contractor to exercise caution.

However, the committee found that Gawar Construction Ltd., the contractor executing the drain project, failed to take adequate precautions despite repeated warnings. It recommended imposing a ₹5 lakh penalty on the contractor. It also proposed a ₹2 lakh penalty on Mahimtura Consultants, the project supervision consultant, for inadequate oversight during the work.

The report stopped short of holding the contractor solely responsible, noting that 1,158 trees and branches fell across Mumbai during the spell of heavy rain and strong winds between June 28 and July 5, suggesting that multiple factors may have contributed to the collapse. 

The committee also recommended several long-term reforms, including periodic tree-risk assessments, GIS-based mapping of roadside trees, scientific protection of roots during excavation, limiting concretisation around tree bases, and appointing arborists and nodal officers to coordinate tree safety during infrastructure projects.

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