Every monsoon, tree-fall incidents bring parts of Mumbai to a standstill, damaging vehicles, disrupting traffic and, at times, claiming lives. While heavy rain and gusty winds are often blamed, experts say the weather is only the trigger, not the root cause. Years of unscientific pruning, rampant concreting, repeated excavation around roots, poor species selection, and neglect have left thousands of trees structurally weak and vulnerable to collapse, according to arborists and other experts who explained to mid-day why the city’s green cover is increasingly becoming a public safety hazard and what authorities must do to avert tragedy.

Rescue personnel clear an uprooted tree from Ghodbunder Road at Patlipada in Thane on Monday. PIC/PTI