It gives a kind of amusement when our living city is listed in the best cities of India. Whatever the list is released, the only thing that concerns everyone is cost of living, safety to women and most importantly the fulfillment of basic needs.
However, Mercer's Quality of Living rankings 2017 have released the best and worst cities of India based on the quality of living.
For the third year in row, Hyderabad has emerged as the city with the best quality of living in India whereas New Delhi continues to be ranked the lowest for the second year in a row amongst the surveyed cities.
When compared to the country's more traditional business centers Mumbai and New Delhi, Hyderabad and Pune rank higher for quality of living.
"The survey highlights that Indian cities that have been part of the survey haven't made much progress on the quality of living scale since last year," said Ruchika Pal, principal and India Practice Leader, Global Mobility.
However, a marginal improvement is seen in Chennai in the aspect of public transport, including buses and a recently expanded two-line metro system, and improved availability of expat housing.
Due to decreased power supply and water availability, Hyderabad has slipped five ranks from 139 last year to 144. The city continues to score high in comparison with other surveyed Indian cities on account of lower crime rate — violence is uncommon in Hyderabad and in general, the police force is efficient and reliable, said the report.
While New Delhi scores well on account of its airport facility, availability of international schools and low probability of natural disasters. These positives are offset by a variety of negatives including a "notorious" crime rate, air pollution and water availability.
According to Navnit Singh, chairman and regional managing director of executive search firm, Korn Ferry: “Hyderabad is not at all an unattractive city for employment for talent unlike Chennai or Calcutta. Areas like Gachibowli, the new Hyderabad, with better and cheaper housing, good schools and good quality of living attract talent.”
Achal Khanna, chief executive officer, SHRM India, said: “Hyderabad is increasingly becoming a popular city for women given the safety factor. In terms of career progression and career opportunities for women at the senior level, it is yet to get a stimulus, while those at the mid-senior level have more opportunities.”
Looking at 450 cities across the world, Mercer takes the following metrics into account:
Political and social environment, Economic environment like currency-exchange regulations, banking services, Socio-cultural environment which means media availability and censorship, limitations on personal freedom, Medical and health considerations like medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution, Schools and education, Public services and transportation, Recreation like restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure, Availability of food/daily consumption items, cars. The other factors including Housing, Natural environment like record of natural disasters is also considered.
Globally, Vienna occupies first place for overall quality of living for the 8th year running, with the rest of the top-ten list mostly filled by European cities — Zurich (2), Munich (4), Dusseldorf (6), Frankfurt (7), Geneva (8), Copenhagen (9), and Basel (10).
The only non-European cities in the top ten are Auckland (3) and Vancouver (5). The highest ranking cities in Asia and Latin America are Singapore (25) and Montevideo (79), respectively.
When it comes to India, if house rent prices, vegetable and grocery prices are in affordable rate to any person then only it gives the real happiness especially to a middle class person. These rankings may be good to create list but it will be good to do a survey that compares the rates of petrol, vegetables, house rents etc how it changed in the past 5 years and factors associated with it then take necessary action based on that.
Unfortunately, the salaries are not increased but the petrol rates, house rents, grocery prices get increased every now and then. Hope this will change.
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