Tree fall incidents in Bengaluru double this year, cross 1,000 mark: Report
Bengaluru: Tree fall incidents in Bengaluru have doubled compared to last year, crossing the 1,000 mark during this year’s southwest monsoon season, according to data from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
GBA data, cited by The Hindu, shows that between May and September 2025, 1,222 trees were uprooted and 2,585 incidents of branch snapping were recorded. In comparison, the city reported 531 uprooted trees and 2,010 snapped branches between April and August 2024, with no incidents recorded in September 2024.
Tragically, three people lost their lives and six others were injured this year in accidents caused by falling trees or branches. In separate incidents, the victims, all scooter riders, were fatally struck by falling branches, raising concerns about the safety of commuters and pedestrians in the capital city.
Rapid urbanisation, concretisation, and poor urban planning, have been reported as major causes behind the loss of green cover. However, the GBA’s Forest Wing and the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) cited historical negligence and severe understaffing as major contributing factors.
A GBA official said the forest wing’s manpower shortage has hampered effective tree management. The forest wing currently has nearly 20 officials, including office staff, to manage the entire city. “Tree management is carried out regularly, but covering the whole city with such critical understaffing is impossible,” The Hindu quoted the official as saying.
Similarly, A.N. Yellappa Reddy, former forest secretary and noted silviculturist, said urban tree management is a specialised task that requires trained personnel. However, he noted that the civic body provides no such training, highlighting its negligence.
“We must give equal attention to branch manipulation during root surgery (cutting roots for development works) to maintain the tree’s balance. After surgery, trees should be sprayed with anti-fungal agents, and care should be taken not to damage tissues. However, such practices are rarely followed,” The Hindu quoted Reddy as saying.
Experts say inadequate maintenance has left the city’s trees vulnerable to collapse, particularly during strong winds and heavy rain. Bengaluru’s wind speeds often range between 10 kmph and 40 kmph, occasionally reaching 50 kmph, conditions that can easily uproot weak or imbalanced trees.
They have reportedly urged the civic body to establish mechanisms for citizen participation in monitoring and preserving Bengaluru’s trees, arguing that the absence of public involvement and transparency has led to poor accountability and persistent negligence.
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
