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.
Story continues below this ad
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.”
Stay updated with the latest – Click here to follow us on Instagram
