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Chembur tree collapse: Inquiry Committee identifies concretisation as main cause; Surajya Abhiyan’s demands vindicated

BMC panel finds concretisation around roots weakened the tree that fell on a school bus, killing a 11-year-old student 

Mumbai — The primary cause of the tree that collapsed onto a school bus in Chembur was the concretisation around its base, which progressively weakened its root system and ultimately led to its fall. This is the central finding of the inquiry committee constituted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to investigate the incident.

The accident occurred when a large peepal tree fell onto a school bus in Chembur, killing 11-year-old student Vihan Srivastava. Following the tragedy, the BMC formed a two-member committee comprising Additional Municipal Commissioner (Special Engineering) Purushottam Malvade and Additional Municipal Commissioner (Engineering) Shashank Bhore. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide had directed the committee to conduct a thorough investigation with the assistance of tree experts and to recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. 

As part of its investigation, the committee visited the accident site along with tree experts, examined the roots of the fallen tree, and gathered testimony from officials and staff of the concerned departments before submitting its findings to the Corporation.

Notably, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide had earlier declined to attribute tree collapses to concretisation around tree trunks. However, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde subsequently acknowledged, in a statement to the media, that concretisation has indeed caused damage to trees across the city.

According to the committee’s report, the peepal tree in question was approximately 60 years old, with a portion of its base located adjacent to the footpath and roadway. The report concludes that concretisation of the surrounding road surface prevented adequate water from reaching the tree’s roots, progressively weakening it until it collapsed.

The committee has recommended that concretisation around tree trunks be avoided going forward, that adequate provisions be made to ensure water reaches tree roots, and that legal action be initiated against contractors whose construction or utility line work causes damage to trees. 

Inquiry findings vindicate Surajya Abhiyan’s long-standing demands

The BMC’s inquiry committee has now officially established what Surajya Abhiyan has long contended — that concretisation around tree trunks is weakening trees and causing them to collapse. For a considerable period, Surajya Abhiyan has been submitting formal representations to the administration on precisely this issue, demanding an end to concretisation around trees, strict action against contractors who violate norms, and the implementation of effective measures for tree conservation across the state.

The committee’s findings now lend official, institutional weight to these long-standing demands, underscoring the urgency of the reforms Surajya Abhiyan has consistently advocated.

Stop ‘Silent Killing’ of trees in Navi Mumbai: Surajya Abhiyan demands effective action from administration

July 10, 2026 

Memorandum Submitted to Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner and Mayor

Surajya Abhiyan delegation handing over the memorandum to Navi Mumbai Mayor Smt. Sujata Patil.

Navi Mumbai – Despite claims by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) of pruning thousands of trees and removing dangerous ones before the monsoon, over 150 tree-fall incidents have already occurred in the city. If the administration fails to immediately set up an effective mechanism for tree protection and emergency response, it will pose a serious threat to both tree conservation and public safety. 

Surajya Abhiyan submitted a memorandum to Navi Mumbai Mayor Sujata Patil and the Municipal Commissioner, warning that failure to act will force them to launch legal proceedings and public movements.

The delegation included Dr Uday Dhuri (Coordinator of Surajya Abhiyan) along with Govind Prasad Dubey, Balraj Jire, Gulshan Dubey, Anant Satpute, and Ashok Sawant. A copy was also submitted to Additional Commissioner Sunil Pawar. 

Surajya Abhiyan delegation handing over the memorandum to Sunil Pawar (right), Additional Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

Key issues highlighted

  • Illegal concretisation around tree roots in the name of road and footpath beautification is causing the ‘silent killing’ of trees.
  • Contractors are violating NGT orders by pouring concrete up to tree trunks, suffocating roots and increasing tree collapses.
  • Trees are being damaged by nails and advertisement boards, which is illegal under the Maharashtra Trees Act, 1975.  

Major demands

  • File criminal cases against contractors and officials violating NGT rules.
  • Register culpable homicide cases against the concerned contractors, in case of death due to a tree collapse.
  • Navi Mumbai Municcipal Corporation should compensate for damage to vehicles and property caused by falling trees, and take strict action against negligent officers.
  • Adopt Delhi Model SOP for immediate removal of concretisation, nails, and boards.
  • Make 1-metre open soil around trees mandatory in all contracts and conduct a third-party audit of plantations from the last 3 years. 

This update continues the statewide campaign by Surajya Abhiyan against tree concretisation.

“Tree falls during monsoon are human-made disasters”: Surajya Abhiyan demands culpable homicide charges against negligent officials

July 4, 2026

Flags blatant NGT violations, as suffocated tree roots trigger fatal tree collapses

Shri. Satish Kocharekar and Shri. Abhishek Murukate at the press conference in Mumbai

Mumbai – The repeated incidents of trees falling during the monsoon season are not merely natural disasters but human-made catastrophes caused by illegal concretisation around tree roots, negligent tree pruning, administrative apathy, and blatant violations of the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). This assertion was put forward by Surajya Abhiyan during a press conference held in Mumbai on 3 July. 

Addressing the media, Shri. Abhishek Murukate, Maharashtra State Coordinator of Surajya Abhiyan, highlighted the rising number of tree-fall incidents across the State and raised serious questions about the authorities’ accountability. He further demanded that contractors and the concerned government officials responsible for violating NGT orders should also face contempt of court proceedings. Shri. Satish Kocharekar, spokesperson of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, was also present for the press conference. 

Shri. Murukate stated that every year during the monsoon, hundreds of trees collapse, roads get blocked, vehicles are damaged, citizens are injured, and many innocent people lose their lives. However, every time these incidents occur, they are conveniently attributed to “heavy rainfall” or “strong winds,” without any investigation into why the trees had become structurally weak, whether their roots were receiving adequate air and water, or whether any structural assessment had been conducted. 

Tree collapses cause severe infrastructure damage and risk innocent lives. (Source: Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Warnings ignored by Civic Authorities

On the occasion of World Earth Day, Surajya Abhiyan had organised press conferences in Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, and Solapur to highlight this grave issue. Memorandums were also submitted to District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, Chief Officers, and Tree Officers in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, and Jalgaon demanding an immediate de-concretisation drive.

The memorandums clearly pointed out that damaging trees is a punishable offence under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975. They further demanded that if loss of life or property occurs due to trees collapsing as a result of concretisation around their roots, the concerned Executive Engineers and contractors should be held personally liable.

Despite these warnings, the authorities failed to act. Except for a few isolated tree conservation initiatives, the practice of laying concrete, asphalt, and paving blocks around tree trunks during road construction, footpath development, drainage works, metro projects, redevelopment, and beautification works continues unabated. 

AI-generated illustrative image showing how choked root systems lead to fatal tree collapses

Fatalities and alarming statistics underscore the crisis

Recent incidents across Maharashtra have exposed the seriousness of this issue. On 30 June, an enormous Peepal tree fell on a school bus in Chembur, killing 11-year-old Vihaan Srivastava on the spot. Earlier, on 10 May, a tree fell on an auto-rickshaw on Linking Road in Khar, resulting in the death of 15-year-old Arika Srivastava. Subsequently, a tree collapsed within the premises of a private building near Raheja College in Santacruz (W), injuring eight people. Large banyan trees also collapsed near Churchgate Railway Station and Marine Lines.

According to official reports, Mumbai recorded 91 incidents of trees and large branches falling during the recent monsoon period—13 in the city area, 22 in the eastern suburbs, and 56 in the western suburbs. These figures reflect the gravity of the situation. A joint survey conducted under the supervision of the High Court found that nearly 65% of roadside trees are trapped in concrete, and the Bombay High Court has expressed serious concern over 3,691 trees enclosed in cement. 

Furthermore, Shri. Satish Kocharekar informed that contractors and the concerned government officials who have violated the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) should face contempt of court proceedings.

Calls for stringent accountability

Shri. Abhishek Murukate said, “When a tree falls, we only see the final outcome. But its roots had already weakened after being suffocated for years. The real issue is not the rain, but who is preventing the roots from breathing.”

He explained that illegal concretisation around tree roots and negligent pruning disturb the natural balance of trees. Although they appear healthy externally, their foundations gradually weaken, ultimately causing them to collapse suddenly. In such cases, merely registering offences of negligence under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is inadequate. Instead, Surajya Abhiyan strongly reiterated its demand that those responsible should be booked under Section 105 of the BNS for culpable homicide and held personally accountable. 

Key demands of Surajya Abhiyan  

  • Conduct an immediate structural assessment of the root systems of all trees across the State.
  • Make scientific investigation into the root causes mandatory after every major tree-fall incident.
  • Initiate criminal proceedings under Section 26 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, against officials and contractors responsible for illegal concretisation.
  • Ensure immediate implementation of the NGT directive requiring at least one metre of open soil around every tree.
  • Launch a State-wide special de-concretisation drive and publish the Action Taken Report (ATR).
  • Conduct an independent third-party audit of all tree plantation and tree transplantation projects undertaken during the last three years and place the report in the public domain.

Administrative hypocrisy must end!

Shri. Murukate further stated: “On one hand, authorities put up large signboards claiming to protect trees, while on the other hand they bury the roots of those very trees beneath concrete. This hypocrisy must end. This is not merely an environmental issue; it is a matter directly affecting the lives and safety of citizens.”

He warned that if immediate and effective action is not taken, Surajya Abhiyan will intensify its efforts through legal proceedings, contempt petitions, and public awareness movements.

File criminal cases against contractors violating NGT norms: Surajya Abhiyan

April 22, 2026

  • Silent killing of trees through illegal concretisation

  • On World Earth Day 2026, Surajya Abhiyan holds statewide press conferences seeking criminal action over NGT violations

Mumbai – On World Earth Day 2026, Surajya Abhiyan launched a statewide campaign exposing the silent killing of Maharashtra’s urban trees through illegal concretisation. A state-level press conference was held at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, and simultaneous press conferences were organised in Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, and Solapur.

Present at the Mumbai press conference were Shri. Abhishek Murukate (Maharashtra State Coordinator, Surajya Abhiyan), Dr Uday Dhuri (Spokesperson, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti), Advocate Prathamesh Gaikwad, and Advocate Ganesh Koli.  

Memorandums demanding urgent action were submitted to:
• Mayor of Mumbai and Municipal Commissioner
• Chief Minister of Maharashtra
• Environment Minister of Maharashtra
• District Collectors, Commissioners, Chief Officers, and Tree Authorities in Nashik, Nagpur and Jalgaon

The issue 

A statewide survey by Surajya Abhiyan across Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Solapur, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Jalgaon, and the Hubli-Karwar region of Karnataka found trees in a deeply distressed state —  roots choked by concrete poured around them during road and footpath construction.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) mandates a minimum 1-metre unpaved zone around every urban tree. Despite this, contractors routinely pour concrete right up to trunks. Also, nails are hammered into living trees to hold advertisements and banners, further damaging their growth; this too is illegal. 

Surajya Abhiyan raised the question as to why the rules are not followed during the construction of roads and footpaths ? Under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, damaging trees is a punishable offence; yet why are the names of erring contractors and responsible officials not made public and held accountable? 

From a scientific perspective, concrete around tree roots obstructs groundwater recharge and contributes to rising urban temperatures (Urban Heat Island Effect). The administration is entirely responsible for this, said Surajya Abhiyan. 

The ‘Vruksha Sanjeevani’ question 

On April 1, 2026, BMC launched the ‘Vruksha Sanjeevani’ campaign to remove concrete from around trees.  

Surajya Abhiyan questioned its intent. “Removing concrete around trees should not merely be a one-month event. Why does the need for such a campaign arise in the first place? Isn’t the root cause the blatant violation of NGT orders, where concrete is poured right up to tree trunks during road construction? Instead of running ‘remove concrete’ campaigns, why is criminal action not taken under Section 26 of the NGT Act, 2010 against those responsible for such violations?” questioned Shri. Abhishek Murukate, Maharashtra State Coordinator of Surajya Abhiyan.

The Pune plantation scandal 

Pune Municipal Corporation’s own admission reveals that 17,533 trees planted over the last two years have no official survival data. The PMC has no information on whether these trees are alive, dead, or were ever planted. 

“Whether it is tree conservation or new plantation, the administration is making a mockery of environmental responsibility. The lack of accountability for 17,000 trees is a direct waste of crores of rupees of public money,” stated Shri. Abhishek Murukate.

Key demands of Surajya Abhiyan 

  • Immediate statewide de-concretisation drive should be undertaken as a responsible and continuous process, and not as a temporary measure; the cost of the de-concretisation to be borne by the violating contractor.
  • Trees currently surrounded by concrete must be freed. A mandatory tender condition must be included in all future road and footpath work orders, that no payments shall be cleared for any road or footpath contractor unless a 1-metre unpaved zone is maintained around every tree.
  • Criminal complaints under Section 26 of the NGT Act 2010 against all contractors and officers responsible for illegal concretisation and tree nailing. Names of guilty contractors and officials to be made public.
  • Third-party audit of all tree plantations from the last three years, with actual survival data made public, starting with Pune’s 17,533 unaccounted trees.
  • Adoption of the Delhi Model SOP for urban tree protection (as directed by the Delhi High Court) as a mandatory standard across Maharashtra.

If the administration fails to act within 7 working days, Surajya Abhiyan will file a criminal complaint under Section 26 of the NGT Act 2010, and initiate contempt proceedings before the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal.

Surajya Abhiyan: ‘Vruksha Sanjeevani’ a mere photo event; FIRs must be filed against errant contractors

March 31, 2026

Representational image

Mumbai – While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced the ‘Vruksha Sanjeevani’ campaign from 1 April 2026 to protect the city’s 29.75 lakh trees, Surajya Abhiyan has termed the initiative a “superficial treatment” and a mere “photo event”.

The organisation asserts that de-choking trees and removing nails are not voluntary acts of service, but mandatory legal obligations under the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The widespread practice of hammering thousands of nails into trees for advertisements, and pouring concrete up to their trunks, thereby choking them and obstructing their natural growth constitutes a direct violation of the Maharashtra Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, as well as specific NGT orders. 

Advertisements nailed onto trees, damaging their natural growth

Surajya Abhiyan has demanded that, instead of limiting the initiative to awareness programmes, the administration must register First Information Reports (FIRs) and initiate strict penal action against those responsible. In this regard, formal memorandums have been submitted to the Mayor and Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai, following similar representations already made in Nagpur, Jalgaon and Satara. 

Memorandum submitted to the Mayor of Mumbai and the Deputy Municipal Commissioner

Highlighting the severity of the issue, Surajya Abhiyan pointed out that the environmental situation across the state is alarming. In Mumbai alone, 17.43 kg of nails and 1,460 illegal advertisement boards were removed from trees over the past year. Despite High Court directives mandating a one-metre unpaved (raw earth) area around every tree, thousands continue to remain encased in concrete during road development and metro works. 

Tree encased in concrete up to the trunk

“It is a matter of grave concern that despite such large-scale destruction of green cover, the administration has failed to file cases against any advertiser or contractor,” said Shri. Abhishek Murukate, Maharashtra State Coordinator of Surajya Abhiyan. He further stated that the weakening of tree roots due to lack of oxygen is the primary reason for trees falling during the monsoon, a situation directly attributable to administrative negligence. 

Outlining its demands, Surajya Abhiyan stated that the concrete surrounding trees must be removed at the cost of the guilty contractors under the ‘polluter pays’ principle. Such contractors should not merely be issued notices but must be immediately blacklisted from future projects. Additionally, the requirement of maintaining a one-metre unpaved space around trees must be made mandatory in all government tenders, and violations should result in withholding of contractor payments.

The organisation further demanded that the state government immediately issue orders to implement the ‘Vruksha Sanjeevani’ campaign effectively across Maharashtra, rather than restricting it to a single city. The administration must strictly enforce the law instead of treating the campaign as a one-day event. A permanent legal mechanism must be established to ensure that trees across the state can breathe freely.

“Until a genuine fear of the law is instilled among rule-violating commercial establishments and contractors, our tree wealth will never truly be safe,” said Shri. Abhishek Murukate, Coordinator of Surajya Abhiyan.

Read more on Hindu Janajagruti SamitiPress ReleaseSurajya Abhiyan

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