Delhi govt orders removal of dangerous trees from 1.4k-km of PWD roads

Delhi government orders urgent survey and removal of dangerous trees along 1,400km road network by May 31 to prevent accidents during monsoon.

The Delhi government has ordered an immediate survey and removal of trees which are leaning or prone to collapse in high winds or rains across Public Works Department’s (PWD) 1,400km arterial road network in Delhi, officials said, adding that the order has been issued to prevent accidents and deaths due to falling trees in monsoons.

The order was issued in order to prevent accidents due to falling trees during monsoons. (HT Archive)

All zonal officials have been asked to complete the survey by May 15 and removal by May 31, earmarking the nature of hazard each tree poses and providing an undertaking that no dangerous tree is present in their jurisdiction by the end of the survey.

Last year, multiple accidents and deaths were reported due to falling trees and branches during thunderstorm and heavy rain events. On August 14, 2025, a 50-year-old man was killed and his daughter critically injured when an old neem tree uprooted and fell on their motorcycle in south Delhi’s Kalkaji.

Before that, on May 22, a 22-year-old died in Gokulpuri after a tree toppled on him and two motorcycles during a strong storm and on May 2, a tree collapse in Dwarka near Kharkhari caused a structural collapse killing four people.

The order, dated May 8, has been issued by the PWD on “mandatory survey and removal of dangerous trees within respective jurisdiction”. It mentions that in view of the upcoming monsoon season and to ensure safety of public and infrastructure, it is instructed to all concerned executive engineers (EEs), superintending engineers (SEs), and deputy directors (DD) of horticulture department to carry out an immediate survey of dangerous trees.

“A thorough inspection of all areas under the jurisdiction of all concerned officials must be immediately conducted. A formal certificate stating that “no dangerous tree is present in their jurisdiction” must be submitted to the respective Chief Engineers by May 15, 2026,” it read.

According to the order, the trees, after identification, must be listed immediately with their jurisdiction-wise location and the specific nature of the hazard should also be specified. “For all such identified trees, the executive engineer shall intimate a clear timeline for removal to their respective chief engineer, ensuring all procedures as per the prevailing forest department rules,” the order states, adding that the removal of all such identified dangerous trees must be completed and ensured by May 31, 2026.

“Failure to provide the required certificate or complete removal of dangerous trees within the stipulated timeline will lead to personal accountability of the concerned officer in the event of any mishap.,” it added.

Notably, as per forest department guidelines, the PWD will have to plant 10 saplings for each tree felled and will have to take care of the saplings for a period of seven years.

Last year, Delhi’s environment ministry had issued a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for tree officers in Delhi defining “emergency” circumstances under which individuals, RWAs or land-owning agencies could prune or fell trees under Section 8 of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 (DPTA). The section mandates no tree shall be felled, removed, or disposed of without prior permission from the tree officer. However, it provides an exception for emergency cases – where a tree poses immediate danger to life, property, or traffic.

In such situations, RWAs, land-owning agencies, or responsible agencies may act, provided they report the action to a tree officer within 24 hours.

A senior forest department official said that the SOP on felling of dangerous trees was primarily aimed at private citizens and permission from forest department would be required in case of large number of such trees are identified by the PWD.

Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday said the government had defined the framework, highlighting circumstances where immediate pruning or removal may be warranted. These include cases where trees are obstructing roads, bridges, drains, or sewer lines; damaging buildings or heritage structures; interfering with metro or railway infrastructure; or where trees are dried, dead, or leaning precariously, posing a risk of falling.

Such cases need to be mandatorily reported within 24 hours by uploading photographs from at least three different angles, geo-coordinates, justification for the action along with post-action images, on the DPTA e-Forest portal (https://dpta.eforest.delhi.gov.in). Tree officers will accept this as valid compliance under the Act. The tree officer is also empowered to act on their own, if such threats are observed during inspections or field visits.