1st week at work in Delhi

I flew up to Delhi on the Sunday evening for my 1st week at work. Arrived in Delhi to a mere 42C heat. It’s like walking around in an oven with a hairdryer blowing in your face.

The office isn’t in Delhi itself but in Gurgaon which is a new town 15 or so kilometres outside Delhi. From the little I’ve seen so far it is like the Bracknell or Slough of Delhi.

This summary of Gurgaon is pretty apt.

“Over the past few years the city has grown tremendously as an outsourcing destination within India and due to its proximity to Delhi, National Highway 8 and Indira Gandhi Airport. A plethora of BPOs and KPOs firms dot the cityscape. The outsourcing boom has led to a rapid growth in employment prospects and local wages, leading to a mushrooming of shopping malls, swank restaurants and entertainment facilities.”

What this doesn't mention is that the place is one massive building site. However, there isn’t much building going on now. There are huge apartment and office building projects deserted due to the Credit Crunch, which makes it a bit eerie. What is particularly sad is looking out of the office window, next to the building sites are the shanty villages where the workers lived and are still living, yet there is no work. The ‘houses’ are made from brick walls with corrugated iron for a roof. Quite honestly I can’t imagine how anyone can cope in those living conditions, even when it isn’t 42C.

I had very busy week at work and was out every evening with colleagues. Had a brilliant time and ate my own body weight in Paneer Tikka.