The financial capital needs to focus on protecting mangroves, industrialist Pirojsha Godrej has said, vowing to never develop the patch of the greens by the creek under the family's control in suburban Vikhroli.
In comments that come amid a move to chop 45,000 mangrove trees in Versova for a sealink, the chairman-designate of the Godrej Industries Group said that we need to "balance" competing narratives when it comes to major infrastructure projects.
"I think the city does need to put a lot of focus on protecting them," Godrej told PTI in an interview at his office overlooking a huge patch of mangroves along the creek.
Calling the mangroves a sense of pride for the over a century-old industrial house, Godrej said that the mangroves under its control are over five times the size of London's Hyde Park and vowed to protect them.
The 45-year-old scion, who is set to lead a part of the family's business from August, said he is "very confident" the patch will never be developed.
Godrej, who has been overseeing the realty business for the last few years, however, seemed to suggest that taking any side in the debate between development and environmental protection is very difficult.
"I think the problem is on both sides. I think sometimes development is done in a very haphazard, chaotic, environmentally destructive way. But equally, sometimes the case for conservation is done in an unnecessarily anti-development way," he said.
It is essential to development, otherwise a city will lose its relevance, Godrej said, prescribing a higher floor space index, public transport, and having parks in neighbourhoods as the right approach.
The environmentalists get it "totally wrong" when they press to limit FSI, Godrej said, reasoning that leads to an encouragement to haphazard and illegal development.
Godrej also welcomed the work being done by the government through initiatives like having parks along the coastal road and the Mahalaxmi racecourse development plan.
He hoped that more wealth and better perspectives in cities would help change the approach to urban development for the better.
Published on April 26, 2026