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

3 min readMumbaiJul 30, 2026 09:05 PM IST

A month after 11-year-old Vihaan Srivastava was killed when a large peepal tree crashed onto his school bus in Mumbai’s Chembur, 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 committee has been asked to submit its report within a month.

The move comes two weeks after Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde rejected the preliminary inquiry conducted by a civic panel appointed by Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. The Mayor said the report failed to adequately examine the gravity of the incident and lacked recommendations on accountability and stringent action.

On Wednesday, The Indian Express reported that despite the Mayor’s July 16 directive seeking a second inquiry, the civic administration had yet to appoint a new panel.

The earlier inquiry had concluded that neither the BMC’s Roads Department nor its Garden and Tree Department was responsible for the incident. It said the Garden and Tree Department had pruned the tree and issued two notices — in April 2025 and January 2026 — to the Roads Department, advising precautionary measures while stormwater drainage work was carried out near the tree.

The report also stated that the Roads Department had taken steps to protect the tree by constructing the stormwater drain away from its roots.

A day after the incident, the BMC suspended three officials — an assistant superintendent from the Garden and Tree Department, a sub-engineer and an assistant engineer from the Roads Department.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the BMC said the newly appointed committee will review the methodology adopted by the earlier inquiry panel, reassess the evidence collected, scientifically evaluate its findings, identify the root cause of the tree collapse, and examine whether the interim measures and recommendations made in the initial report were adequate.

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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 also been tasked with recommending policy reforms to strengthen Mumbai’s tree management system and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Speaking to The Indian Express, BJP corporator and Leader of the House Ganesh Khankar said, “It’s a rational decision to appoint an independent committee. Had the probe been carried out by the BMC’s own committee, we would not have accepted the report.”

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