Gurugram is India’s most suitable city by way of livability during COVID-19

A study by Square Yards titled Suitability Index: The COVID Perspective has ranked Gurugram as the most livable city during coronavirus times, taking factors like population density, hospital infrastructure and open area ratio into account. The study covers Mumbai, Bengaluru and Gurugram with respect to these parameters instead of affordability or distance from workplaces. East zone in Gurugram had localities that were ranked as the most suitable to live in these times, namely Sectors 30, 24-27, 40-44 and 52-56. Although COVID case density in this area was second only after Noida, the presence of the highest number of hospitals per 10,000 people, 40%+ of open areas and the lowest population density lent highest suitability to this zone. 

Mahadevapura was Bengalurus most livable zone. Some localities here include Devasandra, Bellandur and Marathahalli. PN and N wards that make up a majority of the Central and Western suburbs, were the most livable in Mumbai. Both Mumbai and Bengaluru have just 1.3 and 0.30 hospitals per 10,000 people as compared to 2.5 for Gurugram.  Mumbai contained 13 out of 24 hugely impacted zones that had more than 50 cases per 10,000 people. The East and North zones in Gurugram had an average of 55 cases per square kilometer while this was more than 200 cases per square kilometer in 4 out of 8 zones in Bengaluru. 

Mumbai has the highest open area ratio of 45% and is also the highest populated with close to 60,000 people per square kilometer. Gurugram has the lowest population density with roughly 4,200 people per square kilometer. Anand Moorthy, Business Head-Data Intelligence & Asset Management Services- Square Yards, stated that the Suitability Index aims at integrating multiple non-transactional components into the home buying framework since the new normal is clearly here to stay and will have an impact on purchase decisions, rather than proximity to offices or affordability.