Apex builders body CREDAI MCHI has written to the Chief Minister and Railway Minister for trains from UP, Bihar, West Bengal and other states to get labourers back to city. Says 75% migrant labourers yet to return.
By Varun Singh
In separate letters addressed to the Maharashtra Government and Indian Railways, apex builders body CREDAI MCHI, has sought help to provide necessary means for migrant construction workers to return to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Builders body MCHI claims that, more than 75% of migrant workers are still stuck in their native regions and have minimal avenues to return. The dearth of labourers is aggravating the ongoing industry slowdown and proving to be a major pain point for real estate developers to resume construction activities and revive the realty sector in MMR.
CREDAI MCHI has requested the State Government and Indian Railways to help facilitate affordable and convenient means of railway transportation for workers, primarily from states including UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha.
Deepak Goradia, President, CREDAI MCHI said, “At a time when the industry at large is suffering from the consequences of the pandemic, we request the State Government and Indian Railways to provide the necessary logistical support in order to get the workers back to MMR, thereby enabling us to resume work within the safe environment that has been set up at the construction sites.”
According to Goradia, at present construction sites have around, 35-40% strength of labourers, and the remaining he expects to come back by October end or November start.
The construction has got delayed by three to four months and completion by almost 6 months.
Some of the precaution builders are following for labourers at their sites.
- Social Distancing Training and Protocols to be followed with Temperature checks before commencing work
- Weekly visit of a Doctor on site for regular medical check-ups of workers
- Regular fumigation of staircases, lifts, helmets to maximize safety
- Staggered meal times to avoid unnecessary crowding
- Special quarantine facility for any worker who has tested Covid positive or is showing symptoms
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