BB Desk
A 11-year-old student was killed and four others were injured after a large peepal tree collapsed onto a school bus in Mumbai’s Chembur area on Tuesday afternoon, in one of the city’s most tragic monsoon-related incidents this year. According to the Officials, the accident occurred around 2:58 pm on Road No. 11, when the bus was ferrying students home from school.
The bus, belonging to Universal High School, was carrying 18 students when the roadside peepal tree was uprooted and crashed onto the vehicle, crushing a section of the bus and trapping children inside. Mumbai Fire Brigade personnel, Mumbai Police and civic authorities launched an immediate rescue operation, using cutting equipment to remove branches and extricate the trapped students. Locals and the bus conductor also helped in the rescue operations pulling out a majority of students to safety.
Five injured students were rushed to Zen Hospital in Chembur. Doctors declared 11-year-old Vihan Shrivastava dead at around 4:30 pm after he succumbed to severe injuries. Hospital authorities said the remaining four injured students were in stable condition and undergoing treatment.
The incident occurred amid heavy monsoon rains that lashed Mumbai during the day. Officials have initiated an inquiry to determine whether the tree had shown signs of structural weakness and whether it had been inspected or identified for pruning before the monsoon season. Civic authorities are also examining whether prevailing weather conditions contributed to the collapse.
The tragedy has reignited concerns over the management of Mumbai’s ageing roadside trees. The School Bus Owners’ Association (SBOA) questioned the preparedness of civic authorities and demanded accountability, stating that the incident raises serious concerns about preventive maintenance and public safety, particularly on routes frequently used by school vehicles.
The accident is the latest in a series of fatal tree-fall incidents reported in Mumbai over the years, once again bringing the focus on pre-monsoon tree audits, timely pruning, and the implementation of risk assessment protocols for large roadside trees in densely populated neighbourhoods. Authorities are expected to submit a detailed report after completing their investigation into the cause of the collapse.
