Bengaluru’s southwest monsoon has turned deadly this year, claiming three lives and injuring six, as the number of tree fall incidents has more than doubled compared to 2024. Data from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) reveals a grim picture. Between May and September 2025, 1,222 trees were uprooted and 2,585 branches snapped, compared to 531 uprooted trees and 2,010 snapped branches during the same period last year.
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What was once the “Garden City” is now struggling to hold on to its green crown. Experts warned that Bengaluru’s unchecked urbanisation, reckless concretisation, and poor maintenance have pushed its trees to the brink, according to a report by The Hindu. In separate accidents this year, three people, all riding two-wheelers, died when large branches came crashing down, underscoring how dangerous the city’s tree-lined roads have become.
A former forest secretary and noted silviculturist described the city’s tree management practices as “unscientific and negligent”, as per the report. He pointed out that basic arboriculture practices like root surgery and canopy balancing are rarely followed. When roots are cut for development works, branches must be pruned accordingly to maintain stability, otherwise, collapse is inevitable, he said, adding that trees should be treated with anti-fungal agents after any such work.
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{{/usCountry}}An environmental activist also spoke on the matter, echoing these concerns, citing termite attacks, fungal infections, poor drainage work, and concrete choking around tree bases as major factors that weaken trees over time.
Meanwhile, civic officials admitted that manpower shortages cripple effective monitoring. The GBA’s forest wing, responsible for the entire city, has just 20 staff members, including office personnel, the report said. Six cases have already been filed against forest department officials this year, though insiders say the roots of the crisis lie in years of policy neglect and lack of accountability.