The death of an 11-year old student in the aftermath of a decades old peepal tree toppling onto a school bus in Chembur on Tuesday, has rekindled concerns over tree safety and urban infrastructure in Mumbai. The incident occurred amid heavy rainfall when the tree came crashing down on a bus carrying schoolchildren, killing one child and injuring several others. Following the tragedy, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde ordered an enquiry after the reports emerged that concerns over the tree's root had been flagged months earlier.

Mumbai, India. June 30, 2026 - Vihan Srivastav, an 11-year-old student, died, and four other children were injured when a large tree collapsed onto their school bus on Road No 11 in Chembur, Mumbai, India. June 30, 2026. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)

While monsoon winds are often blamed for such incidents, environmentalists argue that the underlying causes are largely man-made.

"The biggest reason trees fall in Mumbai is unscientific construction. Digging for stormwater drains and footpaths routinely cuts up to half of a tree's roots down to six feet, destroying its balance. Years of study reveal construction agencies ignore BMC Garden Department regulations, a failure worsened by a severe shortage of supervisory staff to enforce compliance," says Subhajit Mukherjee, Founder of Mission Green Mumbai.

He added that despite directions from the High Court to involve certified arborists during infrastructure work, these safeguards are often overlooked to meet project deadlines.

"At many places, the High Court has already instructed contractors to take proper assistance from an arborist, but while working on the ground and with delivery target dates in mind, all the rules are ignored. The rules and regulations documented by the BMC Garden Department are not properly followed by the project department and the road department while implementing works through contractors," Mukherjee said. He stressed that protecting Mumbai's tree cover requires scientific planning before construction begins, stricter enforcement of existing regulations, and regular monitoring by trained arborists. Environmental groups have also called for greater accountibility from.civic agencies to prevent similar tragedies, particularly during the monsoon when weakened root systems make mature trees more vulnerable to collapse.

He shared official contacts and email IDs where people can write to report environmental concerns before they escalate - 1916 is the BMC number where people can also called for emergency support , Sg.gardens@mcgm.gov.in "People can also write to BMC Garden department directly if they notice any kind of default or danger" and to contact Mission Green Mumbai you can write to trees.subhajit@gmail.com

The issue remains one of the most alarming issues in Mumbai to the locals " A child left for school with dreams in his eyes, but never came back home,negligence in safety can turn it into tragedy. The government must take this seriously and ensure proper checks to prevent such tragedies in monsoon" says Tanuja Patil, 30, Engineer.

By Ananya Mishra