Tree fall in Bengaluru: Auto rickshaw drivers’ unions ask government and BBMP to monitor trees diligently following accidents  

Auto rickshaw unions in Bengaluru demand government action after fatal accidents caused by falling trees during monsoon.

Following three incidents of trees falling on auto rickshaws during this year’s monsoon and two auto rickshaw drivers losing their lives due to that, the auto rickshaw unions in Bengaluru are planning to bring pressure on the Karnataka government as well as Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to regularly monitor the health of trees. 

“There is no way auto rickshaw drivers can protect themselves when trees fall. Most of us have stopped driving when there is rain. But trees are falling even on running autos, (like on Wednesday) and sometimes when passengers are inside. The onus is on BBMP and Forest Department to regularly trim trees and fell the ones which pose a threat, but they do not do it diligently,” said Rudramurthy, general secretary, Auto Rickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU). He said that the Union will shortly hold a meeting to discuss these problems and submit a memorandum to the government. 

Another union in the city, Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union is also planning to bring this problem to the notice of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy.

“The taskforce of BBMP and Forest Department does not perform its functions like assessment of the age of the tree or pruning them. If our complaints to the government and BBMP do not prove effective, we will approach the Court and get a notice served to concerned authorities,” said M. Manjunath, president of the Union. 

Kaleem Khan (60) who was an auto rickshaw driver died on September 4, 2024, after a huge tree branch fell on his vehicle in Jayanagar. Less than 20 days ago, on August 16, another auto rickshaw driver Shivarudraiah (49) died after a tree fell on his auto in Vijayanagar. On July 27, Diwakar, a 42-year-old auto driver, and Stalin, a passenger, had sustained minor injuries after a Gulmohar tree fell on the auto rickshaw they were in.