Tree falls on motorcycle, crushes man to death: Why do trees fall in Delhi?

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In all, 11 trees fell on Thursday, an official report by the civic agencies in Delhi said.

The reasons

# Concrete around the bases of trees – usually placed during road or pavement construction – weakens tree roots. If the trees are old and have heavy branches, they eventually weaken and fall.

Delhi is the greenest metropolitan city in the country. For context, it has 147 sq km of tree cover that falls outside forest areas. This is around 9.8% of Delhi’s geographical area as per the India State of Forest Report 2023.

# Poor or irregular pruning leads to a top-heavy tree, especially when the root system is damaged or constricted.

Under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, any tree whose trunk is at least 5-cm thick and which is at least 1-m tall is classified as protected. After a Delhi High Court order of 2023, pruning top-heavy trees requires mandatory permissions from the Forest department. This places restrictions, civic body officials say, on the upkeep of green spaces alongside roads.

# Trees in Delhi are prone to termite attacks.

According to NDMC officials, tamarind trees on Akbar Road are likely to fall during heavy rain or winds because their trunks have been hollowed out by termites.