MUMBAI: The Bombay high court (HC) on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to consider the survey report filed by an intervenor in March 2025, alleging that the civic body relied on inaccurate data and continued with road concretisation work in violation of environmental norms, which was hurting the city’s trees.Mumbai, India – 02 July 2026: Heavy rainfall in Mumbai led to a tree being uprooted near Churchgate Station, causing disruption in the area. The incident is part of widespread rain-related issues across the city, with authorities responding to clear affected roads and manage traffic flow, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, 02 July 2026. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)A division bench of Justice A S Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata heard the intervenor’s report while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Rohit Joshi in 2023. The litigation highlighted the failure of the Tree Authority and the BMC to preserve and maintain trees, and emphasised on de-concretisation to avoid instances of trees collapsing and causing deaths and injuries to pedestrians.During the hearing, the court also directed the intervenor, Sagar Ugale, to submit the findings and suggestions to BMC and file a detailed report, highlighting how the survey was conducted.Ugale, an environmental activist and RTI applicant, said BMC’s de-concretization work had been a mere “formality” and done without adhering to the prescribed guidelines. He also alleged “gross violation of the applicable rules, regulations, and guidelines” issued by respective authorities.Ugale further added that BMC filed false affidavits before the court concerning the progress of de-concretization of trees – evidenced by the reports obtained by him under the Right to Information (RTI) Act which do not match the figures furnished before the court.On the other hand, Joshi’s PIL highlighted several incidents, including one where a 30-year-old tree collapsed on a Thane resident in 2021, leaving him bed-ridden for over three months. In September 2022 a tree fell on a mother and son while they were visiting a Ganesh pandal in Thane. While the mother died, the son suffered severe injuries.Joshi’s PIL underscored, the blockage caused by hard concrete around the growing roots results in damage and the trees become prone to collapsing.The PIL referenced circulars issued by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in 2016, 2018 and 2023 regarding protection of trees during construction of roads, suggesting that each tree should provide 3 x 3 feet space around its root which should be filled with soil. However, the PIL said that the de-concretisation work has not been done yet.During a hearing in July 2023, TMC had informed the court that around 7396 trees required to be de-concretised – a task that would be completed in 45 days. However, the petitioner submitted that figure may be higher. “This figure represents a mere 1% of the total tree population. The affidavit mentions de-concretisation progress from July 2018 to January 2019. However, independent verification of these figures is crucial to ensure transparency and effectiveness of the de-concretisation drive,” the petition stated in its affiliate filed in August 2024.