Pre-monsoon drive: Corp to identify and remove hazardous trees

Thiruvananthapuram: With barely one and a half months left for monsoon onset, city corporation has decided to intensify pre-monsoon preparedness by identifying and removing trees that pose a potential threat to life and property.Civic body will convene a high-level coordination meeting on Friday with key stakeholders, including Kerala Road Fund Board, Smart City officials, fire and rescue services and Kerala State Electricity Board. Meeting will focus on streamlining drainage cleaning, infrastructure safety and urgent felling or pruning of dangerous trees.According to corporation town planning standing committee chairperson Pattoor Radhakrishnan, they plan to begin field-level action from Saturday. "Trees identified as dangerous will be removed on priority," he said.Urgency of the move was underscored by an incident on Monday afternoon, when a large tree suddenly collapsed on Secretariat premises near Cantonment Gate. The unexpected fall triggered panic among staff and visitors, though no injuries were reported. Traffic along the route was disrupted for around three hours.Fire and rescue personnel from Chenkalchoola station rushed to the spot and swiftly cleared the fallen tree using chainsaws, preventing further disruption in the high-security zone. Officials said the tree appeared weakened, possibly due to internal decay or soil instability, factors commonly aggravated during pre-monsoon weather fluctuations.Such incidents are not uncommon in the capital during periods of strong winds and rain. In recent years, multiple cases of trees and branches collapsing have resulted in injuries, fatalities and damage to property across district. Authorities have repeatedly stressed the need for proactive identification and removal of vulnerable trees to avert disasters.Reports indicate that dozens of trees have been removed in recent months as part of infrastructure works and disaster management measures.