The tragedy comes amid a spike in tree fall incidents following the onset of the monsoon. BMC records show that between Monday and Tuesday morning, the city reported 36 tree collapse incidents, including 23 in the western suburbs, six in the eastern suburbs and seven in the island city.Hours after a large peepal tree crashed onto a school van in Chembur, killing an 11-year-old boy and injuring four students, a preliminary inspection by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) found that the tree’s central root system had weakened and collapsed. Civic officials said they would investigate whether recent road concretisation around the tree had contributed to the failure.The tree fell on a school van carrying 12 students from Universal High School on Road No. 11 in Subhash Nagar on Tuesday afternoon. Eleven-year-old Vihan Srivastav was killed while four other students were injured.After the debris was cleared, officials from the BMC’s garden department and the Mumbai Fire Brigade inspected the site. “Prima facie, upon inspection of the collapsed tree, we observed that while the tree’s side roots were stable, the roots at its core had weakened and given away,” a civic official said.“While the cause of its weakening is yet to determined, there is a possibility that the tree’s roots had weakened owing to a concretisation of the road which had been recently concluded. We will investigate whether the surrounding of the tree had been excavated with no proper care,” the official told The Indian Express.Residents said the stretch had undergone road concretisation between March and April this year. A senior civic official, however, cautioned against drawing conclusions before the inquiry is completed. “The tree’s roots were on the footpath and even the storm water drains had been diverted to protect the roots. We cannot directly link the weakening to concretisation as the matter is yet to be investigated,” the official said.The official added that the peepal tree was around 40 to 50 years old, had been pruned before the monsoon in May and had also undergone a safety inspection in March. “The survey found that tree was extremely safe,” the official said.The incident has once again put the spotlight on the impact of road concretisation on Mumbai’s trees. Environmentalists have repeatedly warned that concrete, asphalt, paver blocks and construction debris around tree bases restrict root growth, reduce water percolation and weaken trees over time.Story continues below this adResidents described the collapse as unprecedented. “Such an incident has never occurred in this neighborhood before. When the tree fell, it almost fell like a huge thunder,” said Kunj Lal, a watchman in a nearby building.In the wake of the accident, the BMC said it will undertake an intensive survey across the city to identify old and potentially dangerous trees.The tragedy comes amid a spike in tree fall incidents following the onset of the monsoon. BMC records show that between Monday and Tuesday morning, the city reported 36 tree collapse incidents, including 23 in the western suburbs, six in the eastern suburbs and seven in the island city.Before the monsoon, the civic body had targeted the pruning of 84,819 trees and the removal of 397 dead trees identified during surveys.Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents. Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T) Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area. Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including: Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft). Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout). Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks. Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration. Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read MorePratip 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 MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Mumbai