Mumbai: After more than 830 rees were uprooted across Mumbai during the ongoing spell of heavy rainfall and gusty winds, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced that it will seek the expertise of Mumbai University and IIT Bombay to develop scientific measures aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
The surge in tree falls has caused widespread disruption across the city, resulting in the deaths of an 11 year old student and an 18 year old youth, while also damaging several vehicles, shops and residential properties. The incidents have raised concerns over the safety of roadside trees during the monsoon.
Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide dismissed allegations that inadequate pre monsoon tree triming or road cement concretisation was responsible for the increase in tree falls. She said there is no evidence to support such claims and stressed that conclusions should not be drawn without sufficient data.
According to the BMC, Mumbai has nearly 2.975 million trees, as recorded in the 2018 tree census, including around 200,000 trees located along roadsides. Before the onset of the monsoon, the civic body’s Garden Departement carried out trimming of nearly 100,000 trees. Despite these measures, the city has witnessed a sharp rise in tree fall incidents this season.
The civic administration said that 830 trees have fallen so far, of which 480 were located on private properties. In addition, 1,238 tree branches have collapsed, including 709 from private premises. Officials maintain that the available data does not establish a direct connection between tree falls and road concretisation projects.
Bhide also pointed out that many roadside trees are affected by repeated excavation for underground utility services beneath footpaths, which can weaken root systems over time. These factors will be studied while preparing future conservation strategies.
As part of its long term plan, the BMC will collaborate with tree specialists, experts from Mumbai University’s Life Sciences and Biodiversity departments, and IIT Bombay to identify scientific methods for protecting vulnerable and rare trees. The administration is also exploring ways to assess the spread of tree roots so that water can reach them more effectively, including the possibility of creating protected openings around root zones covered with grilles.
The Municipal Commissioner further announced that a dedicated survey of roadside trees will be undertaken, following which the existing guidelines for tree management will be revised. The review will examine whether different techniques can be adopted for pruning, strengthening root systems and improving the stability of trees to reduce the risk of collapses during future monsoons.
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