Delhi best city to live, rent highest in Mumbai but Kolkata has more jobs

Different surveys have revealed that New Delhi is the best city to live in among the metros in India and can boast of the highest standard of living in the country though Mumbai boasts of a higher growth in rentals and the average employment status in Kolkata is far higher than at least at a dozen Class 1 cities, including the nation's capital.

Out of 215 cities surveyed by Mercer Human Resource Consulting around the world, the Indian capital bettered its ranking and is ranked at number 148 up by two places last year. Other cities featured in the survey are Chennai (177) and Mumbai (209).

Analysis of the cities was based on an evaluation of 39 criteria including political, social, economic and environmental factors. Other factors taken into consideration include personal safety and health, education, transport and other public services.

"Indian cities score relatively poorly for health and sanitation. Most Indian cities are densely populated with poor waste removal and sewage systems. These issues, combined with increasing air pollution, contribute to their relatively low ratings," Slagin Parakatil, senior researcher, Mercer, was quoted as saying in a press release issued through Asianet.

He added, "Overall Indian cities have also increased their quality of living. Yet, India still requires major investments in the areas of health, sanitation including waste removal, sewage, water potability among others."

Zurich (108.1 rating) ranks first closely followed by Geneva (108 rating). Cities in Europe, Australia and New Zealand continue to dominate the top end of the rankings in the overall quality of living while Iraqi capital of Baghdad scored the lowest (14.5) with Congo (29.5) figuring penultimate on the list.

In the Asia Pacific region, Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand rank in joint 18th place. Singapore ranks at 50th place while Hong Kong is at 117.

Though Kolkata did not find any mention in the list, it may take heart from any another survey which has put the employment status in the land of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore as higher than that of Delhi, Chennai and Pune.

According to the latest report of the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), which covers Class 1 cities (those with a population of 10 lakh and above), Class 2 and Class 3 towns — the former with a population over 50,000 and the latter, less, the employment status for males in Kolkata stood at 751 per thousand in 2004–05. However, the number of females employed were abysmally low at 190 per thousand.

The employment status for males in Delhi is 714 per thousand and female employment is 112 per thousand. The figure for Chennai is 749 for male and 168 for female per thousand.

Still, while Kolkata is ahead of Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad and Nasik, it lags far behind Bangalore — 841 male and 202 female per thousand — and Mumbai (786 male and 267 female per thousand).

Some economists, however, disagree that high employment status indicate better living conditions. "The employment scenario in Kolkata has definitely been looking up in the last few years. But, it might not actually be better than Delhi and Chennai," said Abhirup Sarkar, noted economist and professor at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI). According to him, the situation has not much to offer qualitywise.

The job seekers in Delhi or Chennai, he said, have a more solvent economic background and prefer to wait for the right kind of job. But in Kolkata, people are desparate enough to accept anything and even a lower salary does not deter them.

Meanwhile, according to Cushman & Wakefield's annual report on Industrial Space Across the World, Mumbai and Delhi have witnessed the second and third fastest growth in real estate rentals across the world in 2006.

At 50.2 percent and 33.3 percent respectively, the two cities are next only to Me'ouyan Soreq in Israel, which has seen an incredible 87.5 percent increase.

Two other Indian cities, Bangalore and Hyderabad, figure in the top 12 with rental jumps of 25 percent and 23.1 percent respectively.

According to the study, in terms of industrial rentals, New Delhi has moved nine places to 14th position. Cushman & Wakefield executive MD (South Asia) Sanjay Verma has attributed this jump to the boom in the manufacturing sector.

"Manufacturing is undergoing a renaissance in India. As export volumes are rising rapidly, the sector is becoming increasingly attractive. This is backed by the availability of private capital, strong domestic demand and a large pool of skilled and unskilled labor. The central government is continuing with its legislative reforms and infrastructure improvements," he said.

The report has revealed that a shortage of space has pushed up rents in Mumbai and New Delhi, and has led to manufacturing and logistics activity shifting to industrial parks outside the main cities. "Meanwhile, international manufacturers in sectors such as automobile, biotech, pharmaceutical and telecoms are particularly favouring setting up of operations in the economically flourishing states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu," Verma added.

According to the report, the world's most expensive industrial location continues to remain the area around London's Heathrow airport, followed by Israel's Me'ouyan Soreq district and Tokyo, Japan.

The report was compiled based on a survey conducted by Cushman & Wakefield across 45 countries. "The main global ranking is compiled by taking the most expensive location in Euro terms in each of these 45 countries monitored," said a spokesperson of the real estate consultancy.