Mumbai, June 24: In the first spell of heavy monsoon rain to lash Mumbai this season, a 60-year-old banyan tree on Breach Candy Road crashed onto a parked vehicle early Wednesday morning, forcing the closure of one traffic lane until civic workers cleared the debris.
The incident was among 113 cases of fallen trees and branches reported across the city in the past 24 hours following the intense downpour. While no injuries were reported, the incidents highlighted the risks posed by ageing trees and strong monsoon winds, raising fresh concerns over public safety during the rainy season.
The tree, located within the BMC's D Ward, blocked one lane of the busy Breach Candy Road and disrupted traffic movement. Civic workers rushed to the spot after receiving an alert and launched a swift clearance operation, restoring traffic by around 10.30 am.
“Our team immediately reached the site and took nearly four hours to remove the massive tree and clear the road. Only one lane was affected, and traffic was restored soon after the tree was removed,” said Santosh Salunkhe, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of D Ward.
Ageing Tree Collapses During Downpour
Civic sources said the six-decade-old banyan tree had become structurally weak, with its roots deteriorating over time. The heavy rainfall is believed to have triggered the collapse. Fortunately, the vehicle struck by the tree was carrying empty gas cylinders, preventing what could have been a major accident.
"The vehicle belongs to a nearby gas agency and is regularly parked at the location," said another official. He added that a new tree would be planted at the same spot.
In another incident near the Swaminarayan Temple in Dadar East, a large tree crashed onto a parked vehicle, severely damaging its front portion. Fortunately, no one was inside the vehicle at the time. The fallen tree also blocked the road, causing traffic disruptions and inconvenience to commuters.
113 Tree-Fall Incidents Reported
According to BMC records, 113 tree and branch fall incidents were reported across Mumbai in the past 24 hours, including 40 in the city, 23 in the eastern suburbs and 50 in the western suburbs. Similar incidents were reported from Matunga, Vile Parle and other areas.
Activist Santosh Gupta blamed the incidents on improper tree trimming by contract workers. "Faulty pruning often makes trees top-heavy and more vulnerable to collapse during strong winds. Poor tree maintenance is contributing to the rise in tree-fall incidents."
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Joint Inspections Planned
Following a recent Bombay High Court order, the BMC's Garden Department will soon conduct joint inspections at sites where tree-base deconcretisation has not been carried out. The inspections will be conducted in the presence of the petitioner and intervenor.
The directive follows a PIL filed by environmental activist Rohit Joshi seeking deconcretisation of tree bases in Thane. The High Court later took suo motu cognisance and extended the matter to Mumbai, which has an estimated 35 lakh trees.
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