The death of an 11-year-old child after a peepal tree crashed onto a school bus in Chembur has triggered serious questions over whether the tragedy could have been prevented.

Even as Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into the incident, BJP corporator and Garden Committee chairperson Hetal Gala alleged that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Garden Department had warned the Road Department that the tree had been damaged during ongoing road concreting work and required immediate attention. She claimed no action was taken. The BMC, however, said it would verify whether road work had any role in the collapse.