Overview
- A major branch from a century-old Elephant Earpod tree collapsed onto the elevated nature trail on Friday, narrowly missing about 30–35 visitors and causing localized damage to the 485-metre walkway.
- Teams from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s garden and hydraulic engineering departments reached the site immediately to clear debris and begin repairs while the trail was cordoned off for safety.
- The BMC has suspended public access until urgent structural repairs and detailed safety inspections are completed and has told visitors with bookings to watch official channels for updates.
- Officials and arborists said the fallen branch points to aging and internal decay in city trees, that ad hoc trimming can create structural imbalance, and that scientific pruning and a formal tree census are needed to reduce future risk.
- The incident comes just before Mumbai’s monsoon season and is likely to increase scrutiny of the trail’s maintenance, affect visitor bookings, and prompt calls for a more systematic, expert-led urban tree management plan.