Bengaluru: A major accident was narrowly averted when a huge tree fell on 13th Cross Road in Malleswaram, under the Bengaluru West City Corporation. Fortunately, no pedestrians or vehicles were directly hit, though a parked car suffered severe damage.
According to locals, the tree was decades old and had weakened after its roots were cut during footpath repair works. Residents alleged that repeated negligence and unscientific pruning practices made the tree unstable.
Eyewitnesses said a few pedestrians narrowly escaped as the tree crashed to the ground. The incident also brought down an electricity pole, snapping power cables and disrupting supply in the area. BESCOM staff rushed to the spot to restore power and clear live wires, while residents complained that civic workers were yet to arrive to remove the uprooted tree.
Traffic movement on 13th Cross has been blocked, with vehicles diverted until clearance work is complete. Residents have long demanded that dangerous, weak trees across Bengaluru be scientifically surveyed and removed before the monsoon, but alleged that authorities have failed to act despite multiple complaints.
The incident has once again highlighted safety concerns over falling trees in Bengaluru, civic negligence, power disruptions, and road safety hazards, particularly in residential areas like Malleswaram.
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