02 July,2026 12:28 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image. Pic/PTI
The Thane Municipal Corporation has launched a citywide survey of potentially dangerous trees following the death of an 11-year-old student after a tree collapsed on a school bus in Mumbai during heavy rainfall earlier this week.
Thane Mayor Sharmila Pimpalolkar on Wednesday directed civic officials to identify hazardous trees, reassess previously pruned trees and take preventive measures to minimise the risk of similar incidents during the monsoon.
Pimpalolkar convened an emergency meeting of the Thane Municipal Corporation's Tree Authority Department and instructed officials to conduct inspections of trees located within school and college premises, housing societies, hospitals and major traffic junctions across the city.
She also directed the department to carry out a fresh structural assessment of trees that had already undergone pruning to verify their stability.
The mayor said the exercise should be carried out on priority to reduce the risk posed by ageing or weakened trees during the ongoing monsoon season.
During the meeting, Pimpalolkar instructed officials to immediately identify trees that are dry, leaning, structurally weak or otherwise considered hazardous.
"Dangerous, dried or bent trees as well as large branches should be identified immediately and necessary action should be taken," she said, while stressing the need for coordination among various civic departments to prevent accidents.
She also directed civic teams to remove branches left on roadsides after pruning operations to prevent traffic disruptions and improve public safety during heavy rains.
Residents have been urged to report hazardous trees to the Thane Municipal Corporation so that officials can take timely action.
The directive comes a day after an 11-year-old boy was killed and four other students were injured when a peepal tree was uprooted and fell on a moving school bus in Mumbai's Chembur area.
The bus was carrying 13 students when the accident occurred on Tuesday.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the uprooted peepal tree was estimated to be between 60 and 70 years old. Civic officials said no formal complaint regarding the tree's condition had been received before the incident.
The accident has renewed concerns about the condition of ageing trees across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, particularly during the monsoon.
In a separate incident on Wednesday night, a family narrowly escaped injury after a large tree collapsed in the Post Office Lane area of Vashi in Navi Mumbai.
Officials said no injuries were reported in the incident.
Following the tree fall, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dr Kailas B. Shinde directed civic teams to immediately clear the debris and restore normal movement in the area.
The recent incidents have prompted residents and environmental groups to demand a comprehensive health audit of trees across the region.
They have urged civic authorities to scientifically assess ageing and internally decayed trees that may not show visible signs of deterioration but could pose a danger during heavy rain and strong winds.
Officials are expected to intensify inspections across Thane as part of the city's monsoon preparedness measures to reduce the risk of tree-related accidents.
(With inputs from PTI)
