BMC unveils three-point plan to protect Mumbai's footpath trees, enhance monsoon safety

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, 830 trees have fallen since the monsoon season began. REPRESENTATION PIC/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has drawn up a three-point plan to safeguard trees that occupy the city's footpaths while preventing hazards to life and property damage. According to the tree census of 2018, Mumbai has about 28.7 lakh trees, of which two lakh are located on the city's footpaths. The civic body pruned 50 per cent of the trees on footpaths before the monsoon season.

Mumbai Monsoon Page

Stating that these trees are considered risky or most vulnerable as they are around pedestrian walkways and vehicular carriageways, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said the civic body is chalking out a plan that involves engaging institutional expertise such as subject matter experts from Mumbai University and IIT Bombay, ensuring roots are not entangled in utilities, and exploring options to safeguard the life span of trees by improving their water absorption and retention capacity.

BMC's plan includes…

Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. FILE PIC/ASHISH RAJE

>> Exploring if holes can be created in the area surrounding roots (instead of soil patches only near tree bases) so that water can percolate to the roots

>> Studying how roots that are entangled with utilities (such as underground drains) can be safeguarded, tied up, or redirected to grow healthily, given the urban infrastructure demands of the city

>> Engaging institutional expertise from IIT Bombay or Mumbai University

Is concreting damaging trees?

Answering this question on a statement on Tuesday, the civic chief said, "It is not correct to draw a general inference based on the limited data we have available.

Concreting only happens on roads, but trees are not supposed to be located on roads. They are all located on footpaths."

She added, "Trees such as peepal or gulmohar have complex root systems. In other countries, the trees noticed on footpaths are more decorative with simple structures. We will engage institutional expertise to reconcile how both patterns can co-exist."

No of tree collapses

2022 655
2023 657
2024 653
2025 800+
2026 830 so far
(as well as with an equal number of branches)

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