Pune’s problem: Most liveable city in country but not best in any category

Out of the 111 cities that were assessed in the Ease of Living Index, Pune topped the rankings with Navi Mumbai coming second followed by Greater Mumbai in the third place. The remaining cities in the top 10 include Tirupati, Chandigarh, Thane, Raipur, Indore, Vijayawada and Bhopal.

Out of the 111 cities that were assessed in the Ease of Living Index, Pune topped the rankings with Navi Mumbai coming second followed by Greater Mumbai . File photo

CONSIDERED TO be one of the best cities to live in, Pune has now officially received the top overall rank among the 111 cities of the country considered in the “Ease of Living Index” released by the Centre on Monday.

However, there is a catch. Though the city has ranked top in the overall ratings, it doesn’t lead in any of the categories and ‘pillars’, indicating that the city is not the best in any of the categories and needs to overcome its shortcomings in almost all categories and ‘pillars’ to retain its position.

The Ease of Living Index — released by the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry — labels the quality of life in cities across four ‘pillars’ and 15 categories using 78 indicators, of which 56 are core indicators and 22 are supporting indicators. The core indicators measure those aspects of ‘ease of living’ which are considered ‘essential’ urban services. The supporting indicators are used to measure adoption of innovative practices, which are considered desirable for enhancing ‘ease of living’.

Pune city ranks second in physical infrastructure whereas Greater Mumbai is on top. Pune has also been rated second best in the ‘reduced pollution’ category behind Ludhiana and ‘assured water supply’ category behind Erode. The city is in top 10 in 14 of the total 19 categories and ‘pillars’.

The worst rating of Pune city is in the category of ‘mixed land use and compactness’, where it stands at 49th position. The second bad rating has come under ‘safety and security’ category, where it has been ranked 25th among the 111 cities. Pune city has been ranked 23 in ‘housing and inclusiveness’ category. In ‘identity and culture’ category, the city ranks 14 while in ‘transportation and mobility’, it has bagged 12th rank.

Out of the 111 cities that were assessed in the Ease of Living Index, Pune topped the rankings with Navi Mumbai coming second followed by Greater Mumbai in the third place. The remaining cities in the top 10 include Tirupati, Chandigarh, Thane, Raipur, Indore, Vijayawada and Bhopal.

The top positions in each of the sub-indices are occupied by the top five cities in the overall rankings: Navi Mumbai scores the highest in the institutional sub-index, Tirupati in social sub-index, Chandigarh in economic and Greater Mumbai in physical sub-index. Due to its high weightage, the physical sub-index influences the overall ranks the most. As the highest ranking city in the Ease of Living Index, Pune is also amongst the most consistent overall performing city across all ‘pillars’ — it is among the top 10 cities in all of the four sub-indices.
Social infrastructure, such as hospitals and public health services, primary and secondary schools, supporting cultural events, sporting events and emergency services create the conditions needed to promote the health and well-being of all city residents.

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Access to and the reliability and quality of services available in the cities are key components for ease of living. In the social sub-index, Tirupati tops the list, Tiruchirappalli is ranked second best city in this sub-index followed by Navi Mumbai, Chandigarh and Pune.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune, a role that reflects his seniority and editorial Authority. He is a highly specialized journalist whose work demonstrates significant Expertise in the critical areas of urban development, governance, and sustainability, often linking policy to its on-the-ground impact across Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Editorial Role: As an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Ajay Jadhav contributes to the editorial direction and maintains high standards of Trustworthiness and quality in his reporting. Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on the intersection of infrastructure, politics, and social development, with expertise in: Infrastructure and Civic Issues: Provides in-depth coverage of crucial development and urban governance topics. His work includes reporting on the glaring contrast between planned infrastructure projects (like private helipads) and the lack of basic facilities (schools and hospitals) in politically significant areas, highlighting accountability gaps. Politics and Governance: Consistently reports on political developments, scrutinizing decision-making that affects public life and development initiatives in Maharashtra. Sustainable Development & Environment: Demonstrates a commitment to responsible development by reporting on initiatives that successfully protect the environment while ensuring essential infrastructure development. Investigative and Policy Impact: National Impact: Ajay has written notable research articles on Conservancy staff which achieved a nationwide impact by directly contributing to the framing of policies aimed at improving the working conditions of waste-handling laborers. This demonstrates his capacity for impactful, evidence-based journalism. Additional Interests Personal Engagement: His background as a trekker and sports enthusiast suggests a keen personal interest in the environment and outdoor spaces, which likely informs his detailed and passionate reporting on sustainable development and civic issues. Ajay Jadhav's sustained focus on governance, his track record of high-impact policy-shaping research, and his critical eye for infrastructure gaps establish him as a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis in Pune and Maharashtra. ... Read More

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