Bhiwadi, India

This planned city on the Rajasthan-Haryana border is a hub for Taiwanese and Japanese companies, but it comes with serious drawbacks. With a population expected to swell to over 1 million by 2030, Bhiwadi struggles with severe air pollution - it ranked as the 3rd most polluted city in the world in 2022, with PM2.5 concentrations up to 30 times the WHO guideline. The city's demographics also paint an uneven picture, with a literacy rate 15% above the state average but a gender gap that sees men 20% more literate than women. For those drawn by the industrial opportunities, the heavy bureaucracy and environmental challenges may prove a persistent headache.