Seconds after woman steps out, tree smashes car in Delhi's CR Park

NEW DELHI: A woman had a close shave on Tuesday when a tree fell on her car, smashing the glass and heavily denting the roof, seconds after she stepped out of it in CR Park.
The woman was at her brother-in-law, JN Vohra's house in H Block. Vohra, a UK-based businessman, said he had informed civic officials last October about the precarious condition of the tree near his house but neither was the tree pruned, nor felled.

In a letter dated October 9, 2022, that the 59-year-old businessman sent to the MCD's horticulture department he said that "due to the rainfall season, the tree has become very weak and is on the brink of falling. Request you to enquire and cut the tree down before any harm is caused."

Vohra, on a visit to the country now, said that a few days ago several trees in the lane were pruned and some felled, but the civic staff did not pay heed to their pleas to cut the tree that has now fallen on his sister-in-law's car. "We had complained a long time back and alerted various authorities. However, no action was taken. The other day, when they came to cut the other trees, I told them to cut this particular tree, but I was told that they don't have permission. I had even warned them that it's in a very dangerous condition," Vohra said.
"My sister-in-law had just entered our home after parking the car when the tree fell. There were two passers-by but thankfully they did not get hurt. Anything could have happened. We had bought the car last November and now it is terribly damaged. Who will compensate me for this? I will lodge a complaint with the police as well. Despite us alerting, nothing was done. Now who will take responsibility for this?" he asked.

The MCD and forest department officials did not respond to TOI's queries.
PK Paul, the vice-president of the East Bengal Displaced Persons (EBDP) Association, said: "There are many such trees in CR Park, including one in the same lane where the tree fell today (Tuesday). We have written to various authorities. Whenever we write to civic authorities, they forward it to the forest department which does not give permission."

He said: "Even now, there are a couple of trees in a precarious situation and anything can happen. There seems to be no inter-departmental coordination."
Sanjay Rana of a GK II RWA said: "The problem is that ours is a rocky area and the grasp of roots becomes poorer as the trees grow big. Also, there is plantation done on roadsides with sewer lines passing close to the roots. Chances of trees falling or getting uprooted are high. The MCD's horticulture department doesn't bother with regular pruning and mostly acts when there is pressure from residents or when a tree falls."