Fresh probe ordered into Chembur tree collapse a month after boy’s death

The move comes two weeks after Mayor Ritu Tawde rejected the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s preliminary inquiry report.

Written by: Pratip Acharya, Nayonika Bose

4 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jul 30, 2026 11:51 PM IST

Fresh probe ordered into Chembur tree collapse a month after boy's death

The tragedy comes amid a spike in tree fall incidents following the onset of the monsoon. BMC records show that between Monday and Tuesday morning, the city reported 36 tree collapse incidents, including 23 in the western suburbs, six in the eastern suburbs and seven in the island city (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty).

A month after an 11-year-old student Vihaan Srivastava lost his life in a fatal tree collapse incident after a large peepal tree collapsed on his school bus in Mumbai’s Chembur area in the eastern suburbs, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed an independent one-member committee headed by noted botanist and former Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sanjay V. Deshmukh to conduct a fresh inquiry into the incident. The new committee will furnish its report within a month.

Meanwhile, reacting to this announcement, Vihaan’s father, Gaurav Srivastava said that the family will continue to seek legal opinion to decide on their next steps.

“Our concern is not Dr. Deshmukh’s ability ,it is whether this inquiry is even meant to hold the responsible BMC officials accountable, or only to explain how the tree fell. We ask that the full record, including the BMC’s own warnings about these trees, be placed before him and that he be empowered to name those who ignored them. In parallel, we shall legal opinion for our next steps,”

Also Read | Rain brings tragedy: Tree crushes school van in Chembur, 11-year-old killed

The BMC’s move to appoint an independent committee also comes two weeks after Mumbai’s Mayor, Ritu Tawde rejected the preliminary investigation report carried out by a civic administration panel appointed by Mumbai’s municipal commissioner, Ashwini Bhide. The Mayor stated that the earlier report failed to adequately examine the gravity of the incident and lacked recommendations for stringent action and accountability.

On July 29, the Indian Express had also reported that even two weeks after the Mayor demanded a second inquiry, the BMC administration is yet to appoint a panel.

The earlier committee constituted to conduct an inquiry had stated that the BMC’s own roads department and garden and tree department were not at all at fault for the incident. The earlier committee also found that the tree and garden department had pruned the collapsed tree while also issuing two notices – dated April 2025 and January 2026 – to the road departments, flagging precautionary measures while carrying out work on storm water drainage around the tree.

Furthermore, the previous committee noted that the road department had ensured preservation of trees while conducting storm water drainage works, by constructing the drain away from the tree roots.

Story continues below this ad

A day after the fatal incident, the civic body had suspended three officials, including an assistant superintendent of the garden and tree department, and a sub-engineer and an assistant engineer of the civic roads department.

Also Read | India’s richest civic body spent Rs 200 crore on trees, can’t spot the rot

The civic body in its statement said that the newly appointed committee will review the methodology adopted by the earlier inquiry committee, reassess the evidence collected, scientifically evaluate its findings, identify the root cause of the tree collapse, and examine whether the interim measures and recommendations proposed in the initial report were adequate.

Also Read | Chembur death: BMC suspends three officers; inquiry panel formed

The committee will also assess the incident from multiple disciplinary perspectives, including botany, environmental science, engineering, road construction, drainage, soil science, climate, and public administration. It has additionally been tasked with suggesting policy reforms to strengthen the city’s tree management system and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Speaking with the Indian Express, Ganesh Khankar — BJP corporator and leader of the house stated, “It’s a rational decision to appoint an independent committee, had the probe been carried out by BMC’s own committee we would have not accepted the report,”

Pratip Acharya

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More

Nayonika Bose

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft). Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout). Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks. Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration. Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Recommendations...

Aug 07: Latest News

Live Blog