In Mulund, two individuals named Hitesh Saste and Tanvi Kale were severely injured when a tree collapsed on them while they were riding their bike on March 29. A private entity had written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in 2018 requesting permission to cut down the tree due to its dangerous condition. However, the BMC only granted permission for trimming, which was carried out twice. Despite this, the tree suffered internal decay and suddenly collapsed, leading to the incident.
Saste and Kale sustained significant injuries, with Saste suffering a spinal injury. Kale’s brother, Saurav, expressed frustration over the BMC’s failure to grant permission for felling the tree, stating that his sister is still hospitalized a month later and unable to walk properly. He emphasized that this incident could have been prevented if the BMC had granted permission to remove the tree.
Saste echoed these sentiments, expressing concern about the mounting medical bills and the impending major surgery that Kale requires. He added that the Kale family has already spent Rs. 10 lakhs on her treatment, while he remains bedridden. Both Saste and the Kale family have approached the BMC and the police regarding the matter, but there has been no progress. They maintain that the BMC should have permitted the felling of the tree, which would have prevented this unfortunate incident.
