Overview
- A large peepal tree fell onto a moving school van in Chembur on June 30, killing 11-year-old Vihaan Srivastav and injuring other children.
- A three-member BMC inquiry initially found no prima facie negligence by the Garden and Roads departments and fined the contractor and supervising consultant a combined Rs 7 lakh.
- The inquiry report prompted strong backlash from Vihaan’s parents, opposition corporators and Shiv Sena (UBT) who said the probe shielded officials and called for an independent review.
- At the BMC general body meeting Mayor Ritu Tawde and members rejected the committee’s findings and ordered a fresh third-party investigation with the composition and timeline yet to be announced.
- The case has focused attention on Mumbai’s ageing roadside trees, prior departmental warnings about excavation near the Chembur tree on January 27, 2026 and April 2025, and on proposed reforms such as mandatory tree-risk assessments and GIS mapping that critics say must be paired with real accountability and changes to concreting practices around roots.