Real Estate Agents: In Mumbai city, the prices of real estate are rising sharply. Till May 2004, a three-bedroom flat in suburban Powai in Mumbai city could be bought for Rs. 2,300 per square feet. But, only six months later, the prices increased by 35 percent to Rs. 3,100 per square feet. In the Parel and Mahalaxmi areas of Mumbai city, a lot of new residential projects have been started. The rates have gone up from Rs. 4,500 per square feet to Rs. 6,000 per square feet in the recent months. The most expensive areas of Mumbai city are Cuffe Parade, Churchgate, Napean Sea Road, and Breach Candy.
Educational Institutions: There are two universities in Mumbai city - University of Mumbai and S.N.D.T. Women's University. The University of Mumbai is one of the largest universities of the world in terms of the students graduating from it every year. It has a five star ranking among Indian universities. The University of Mumbai offers Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees to the students. Some famous students of the University of Mumbai are Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and Sunil Gavaskar. There are many high-ranking research institutes of the world in University of Mumbai. The other university of Mumbai city, the S.N.D.T University is a women's only university. This was the first women's university in India and today boasts of an enrolment of about 45,000 students. There are four campuses of this university, which consist of 11 undergraduate colleges and 38 postgraduate departments.
Banking System: Many international banks have a presence in Mumbai city. Some of the international banks, which you will find here, are Citibank, American Express Bank, and HSBC Bank. Most government and private banks are open in Mumbai city from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays. On Saturday, they are open from 10 a.m. to noon. The units of Indian currency are the rupee and the paisa. One hundred paise is equal to one rupee. The rupee notes are available in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 500. Coins are available in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 25, 50 paise and coins of one, two, and five rupees. In India, the banks are divided into public sector and private sector banks. There are some banks, which function only in the rural sector while some banks function only in the urban sector.
Currency Exchange: You are not allowed to take rupees out of India. You must exchange them before you depart from India. Currency exchange facilities for exchanging the rupees back into foreign exchange are located in the airports. You cannot access these facilities once you pass through immigration.
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India has very strict rules forbidding import or export of its currency. While you are changing money at a money change booth, always remember to get some small bills. Also, don't accept torn notes. Many shopkeepers and service providers don't accept torn notes readily. Change your money with an authorized money changer and always insist on having an encashment slip. This slip is necessary if you want to pay your hotel and restaurant bills.
Insurance: If you want to take out an insurance policy on your travel, house, baggage, car, or health you can contact any of the insurance agents of top insurance companies of India. Insurance agents are the persons who sell insurance policies on behalf of insurance companies. Some of the leading non-life insurance companies of India are New India, United India, and Tata AIG. Some of the leading life insurance companies of India are LIC, ICICI Life, and HDFC Life. While you are traveling, it's always a good idea to take out an insurance policy on your travel. While it cannot stop your flight from being cancelled, if that happens, it can certainly offer some consolation in the form of monetary reimbursement. It also offers monetary compensation if your baggage is stolen or if you fall sick during your travel.
Health System: There are many world-class hospitals located in Mumbai city. Some of the reputed hospitals of Mumbai city are Lilavati Hospital & Research Center, Nanavati Hospital & Research Center, Jaslok Hospital & Research Center, and Tata Memorial Hospital. Most hotels in Mumbai city have doctors and specialists on call. All consulates also keep a list of doctors in the city with them. You can go to the consulate of your country in case you want information about the health system in Mumbai city. You can also look at the list of doctors and hospitals that is given in the link given below. Names and addresses of 24-hour pharmacies in the city of Mumbai are also given here. Addresses and contact numbers of blood banks and health clubs are also provided here.
Employment: Many people come from small town and cities to Mumbai city to fulfill their dreams of getting a high-paying job in a good company of Mumbai city. Many top companies are located in Mumbai city. Some of the top companies in Mumbai city are Reliance Industries, Tata Group, Godrej, Standard Chartered Bank, and Life Insurance Corporation of India. Then, of course, Bollywood is also in Mumbai city. If you have ever harbored dreams of becoming a Hindi movie star, you can try your luck in Mumbai city.
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