NCR developers hope to resume work soon, keep labourers at construction site

To stop the mass exodus of construction workers, the real estate developers have come forward to provide shelter and food to them. The developers are fearing that once the crisis is over, it will be difficult to mobilise the construction workers and resume the work.
“Due to the suspension of railways, many construction workers and labourers could not go back to their homes, therefore, we are supporting each of them with basic needs,” said Roop Bansal, Trustee, M3M Foundation.

The group is providing relief to more than 5000 daily wage earners and construction workers.

M3M Foundation is providing rice, pulses, vegetables, clean drinking water, and milk for toddlers and growing children.

Gurugram based Elan Group has also distributed one-month of ration to over 2000 construction labourers working at their sites.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is a testing time for all especially for the underprivileged section of society,” said Rakesh Kapoor, Chairman, ElanGroup.

Vatika Group has also come forward to distribute food to marginalized section of the society.

“We have conducted training for our housekeeping staff and provided them with masks, gloves and hand sanitizers. The majority of our staff (who are mostly migrants) have been given accommodation within our township and provision of meals has been arranged twice a day. Dry ration in the form of pulses, rice, flour salt, and oil is also being provided to all the staff. said Gaurav Bhalla, Managing Director, Vatika Group.

“Extending our support to all construction workers at our sites, we have created an emergency ‘Cover-19 Fund’ in response to any contingencies that may emerge. We have also created isolated shelter huts to protect all the 500 workers at our site of WTC GIFT City, WTC Chandigarh, and WTC Noida and ensuring their safety and well-being. In addition, regular food supplies, medical needs, and monthly wages of the workers are also taken care of by the organization. We are creating awareness and imparting lessons on social distancing to our workers at different sites,” said Ashish Arora, Director-Distribution, Viridian RED.

Noida based ACE group and ATS group also managed to convince their labourers to stay with them.

Ace group has 1500 labourer at its different sites while ATS group has 4500 construction workers in NCR.

The action had two impact, one helping the administration and state government as labourer exodus would have put additional burden on the government machinery and second once the lockdown is lifted the construction will again resume and avoiding delay in construction. If the labourer would have left the city it could have take another four to six month to again gather the same strength.

“At this tough time, we are committed to help our labourers, staff, city, state and country. In all possible way we are reaching out to them and making all possible help. We have been providing fresh food facility to our nearly 1500 labourers at different sites. We managed to control exodus of labourers. We have provided living facility to them. Apart from that we have made contribution to the community kitchen,” said Ajay Chaudhary, chairman and managing director , Ace group.

“We have been taking care of our 4500 construction staff. We have been providing quality food and shelter as well. We have made quarantine facility as well. And thrice a day we have been doing thermal screening of staff. A dedicated team has been assigned to keep an eye on the arrangements and health at the sites,” said Geetamber Anand, chairman ATS group.