Table of Contents
In India, working women need an environment where they can live, work and entertain peacefully and safely. The voice of countless working women in India is stifled under the pressures of a daily work commute and the responsibility of managing their households. Not all residential locations are equal and certainly not for women in the top cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chennai.
According to the recent data published by the National Crime Record Board (NCRB), Kolkata has been named as the safest city for women in India, among a list of 19 cities.
To identify the relatively safer and more convenient areas where women can live, work and relax in relative peace in these cities, we focus on some critical operative real estate factors including:
- Proximity to work places and shopping areas
- Proximity to schools
- Safety at home and during commute
- Adequate commuting options
- Good healthcare facilities
- Reasonably priced housing
- Healthy and green environment
See also: Is it time for Indian real estate to finally focus on women home buyers, as a crucial TG?
Locations that have been agents of change
Thane, in Mumbai, has evolved over the years from being a largely industrial hub to a location that sports large IT/ITes offices, a variety of malls and supermarkets, has reasonably priced housing within self-sufficient complexes, ample green cover and decent healthcare amenities.
Thane’s proximity to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) CBD has also improved, resulting in it becoming a location of choice for many working women in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) today.
Other locations which have evolved from humble identities, to become cosmopolitan hubs, include Gurgaon in the National Capital Region (NCR) and parts of Whitefield in Bengaluru. Similarly, in Noida, the growth of offices and retail spaces now offers a balanced environment to live in. Also, metro connectivity to some of the key locations, has made commuting easier, even during odd hours. In other cities, as well, including Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune, commuting is now easier, with app-based cab bookings becoming safer. While public transportation still has scope for improvement in these cities, the walk-to-work concept is also gaining momentum.
Even though remote working policies have been adopted in most offices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of co-living accommodation in major office hotspots had made it fairly easy for women to find and manage lodging, that too, at favourable costs.
These changes present veritable case studies of improving social infrastructure that support women who seek a healthy work-life / home-life balance. They have developed in a manner that aligns with the growing demands of an ever-increasing women workforce.
Safety, especially for single working and senior citizen women, is a growing cause for concern in Indian cities. Not all new urban centres, which have evolved on the periphery of the older cities, can call themselves truly safe places for women. A lot more needs to be done by town planning and law enforcement agencies, to ensure that women working late night shifts and single working and senior citizen women need not fear for their safety.
Top locations for women property seekers
This list of areas is not exhaustive but is a fair representation:
| Mumbai | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| Western suburbs (Andheri, Vile Parle) | Good connectivity to the eastern and western suburbs, good social infrastructure, excellent public transport, proximity to the domestic / international airports, workplace hubs, malls and schools. | Andheri: 40,000-60,000, Vile Parle: 45,000-65,000 |
| Eastern suburbs (Mulund) | Good connectivity to commercial locations like Thane, Airoli, etc., green and pollution-free environment, proximity to malls, good spread of residential options | Mulund: 25,000-40,000 |
| Thane | Good, serene environment, proximity to malls, good spread of residential options, proximity to work hubs in the western and eastern suburbs and Navi Mumbai, good healthcare facilities. | 20,000-25,000 |
| Navi Mumbai (Nerul) | Green and pollution-free environment, proximity to malls, good proximity to key workplace hubs like Vashi, Thane and Belapur. | Nerul: 20,000-35,000 |
| Pune | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| North-east (Viman Nagar, Kharadi) | Good connectivity and availability of public transport, proximity to workplace hubs, leisure and entertainment options, quality residential projects. | Viman Nagar: 18,000-20,000 Kharadi: 15,000-20,000 |
| North-west (Baner, Pimple Saudagar, Aundh) | Safety during commute, good availability of public transport, access to high street shopping areas, quality residential projects. | Baner: 16,000-18,000 Pimple Saudagar: 14,000-16,000 Aundh: 17,000-22,000 |
| South-east (Hadapsar, Wanowrie) | Hadapsar: Availability of leisure options, established office corridor, safety, connectivity to workplace hubs, access to high street shopping. Wanowrie: Proximity to central area, connectivity to workplace hubs, access to high street shopping | Hadapsar: 12,000-20,000 Wanowrie: 16,000-21,000 |
| Delhi NCR | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| Golf Course Road, Gurgaon | Proximity to workplace hubs, multiple apartment and condominium options with adequate safety features, easy access to shopping areas. | 2BHK: 25,000-30,000 (multiple women may share rooms individually or on double occupancy basis) |
| DLF-Phase 1 and areas near MG Road | Row housing options for PG accommodation, safety measures implemented by local RWAs, multiple apartment and condominium options with adequate safety features, easy access to shopping areas, proximity to commercial corridors, metro connectivity. | 2BHK independent floors: 20,000-25,000 2BHK apartments: 30,000-40,000 (based on project location and quality) Multiple sharing basis |
| Parts of south Delhi, especially around Greater Kailash – I and II | Row housing options with adequate safety provisions implemented by local RWAs, access to public transport and metro linkages to CBD, well-connected to prime commercial corridors of Nehru Place and Saket and shopping malls. | 2BHK: 50,000-60,000 2BHK row houses in CR Park and Kalkaji internal blocks: 30,000-40,000 Multiple sharing basis |
| Prime residential sectors of Noida (sectors 14,15, 40, 44 and 93) | Metro connectivity, condominium safety features, accessibility to neighbourhood shopping and connectivity to malls. | 2BHK: 20,000-25,000 in typical apartment projects |
| Bengaluru | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| CBD area | Good connectivity, camera surveillance in some places, streets have high activity 24X7, access to public transport (metro and bus connectivity). | 28,000-45,000 |
| Koramangala | Good connectivity, camera surveillance in some places, access to public transport (buses). | 20,000-40,000 |
| Parts of Whitefield | Good connectivity, camera surveillance in some places, streets have high activity 24X7 due to many BPOs operational, access to public transport (buses). | 18,000-23,000 |
| Ahmedabad | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| Bopal | Good connectivity with the rest of the city, excellent social infrastructure, public transport, workplace hubs, malls and schools. | 10,000-12,000 |
| Satellite | One of the posh localities in Ahmedabad, green and pollution-free environment. | 10,000-15,000 |
| Shela | A developing locality with a lot of new projects with enhanced security, good connectivity with nearby office hubs. | 8,000-12,000 |
| Prahlad Nagar | A residential colony with all basic amenities available in close proximity, presence of gated communities is one of the highlights of Prahlad Nagar. | 18,000-25,000 |
| Chennai | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| Velachery | Leading commercial and residential destination with a lot of property options in an affordable range. | 10,000-15,000 |
| Thiruvanmiyur | Another residential neighbourhood in Chennai with a number of IT offices in proximity, easy connectivity to nearest marketplaces. | 15,000-20,000 |
| Thoraipakkam | Most of the IT offices are based here, a number of PG accommodations have come up here to cater to the growing workforce here. | 12,000-15,000 |
| Sholinganallur | Wide range of options available including shared apartments, co-living and independent options. | 10,000-15,000 |
| Hyderabad | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| Kondapur | Another residential hub in Hyderabad with good connectivity to all major malls, offices and corporate houses in Hyderabad. | 20,000-25,000 |
| Kukatpally | Availability of a number of gated societies in the area, good connectivity to the office hubs of Hyderabad. | 15,000-20,000 |
| Gachibowli | One of the major residential and office hubs in Hyderabad, wide variety of co-living accommodation available here. | 25,000-30,000 |
| Banjara Hills | One of the poshest areas in Hyderabad which means enhanced security and dense green cover along with proximity to entertainment hubs. | 30,000 |
| Kolkata | Why they score high for working women | Rent for 2BHK (Rs per month)* |
| New Town | Newly-developed area with excellent social infrastructure, availability of public transport and proximity to the domestic / international airports, workplace hubs, malls and schools. | 14,000 |
| Kestopur | Being developed by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, the area has quality homes and a number of shared apartments with proximity to malls, markets, etc. | 10,000 |
| Salt Lake City | Good, serene environment, proximity to malls, good spread of residential options. | 18,000 |
| Garia | Green and pollution-free environment, proximity to malls and key workplaces hubs. | 12,000 |
Note: * Rents are for 2BHK unfurnished apartments
Growth of women home buyers as a key segment in the Indian realty sector
As women today are becoming financially independent, they feel empowered and confident of achieving their dream of owning homes. From young entrepreneurs to single working women, Indian women are emerging as a prominent home-buyer segment, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the type of property, safety and comfortable living with easy access to amenities and connectivity, are the major factors that women home seekers are considering, when it comes to selecting a property.
Women home buyers are already entitled to discounts on stamp duty charges in several states. Moreover, several states, such as Maharashtra and Karnataka, have recently lowered the stamp duty rates. In the post-pandemic scenario, factors like new tax benefits, lower stamp duty and decrease in home loan interest rates, have resulted in more opportunities for women home buyers looking for investment options in the real estate sector. Amid the new normal of work from home, there has been an increasing preference for ready-to-move-in homes among home buyers, especially women.
FAQs
Which is the safest state in India for females?
According to the National Crime Record Bureau, Kolkata is the safest city in India.
Is Chennai safe for females?
As per the NCRB 2017 report, Chennai ranked seventh in the list of total number of IPC crimes.
(With additional inputs from Surbhi Gupta)
Comments