Delay in projects results in exodus of migrant workers

NEW DELHI: After April 20, the Gurugram district administration allowed various construction works including real estate projects to begin.

However fearing the prospect of lower sales, various developers, especially small realty players have decided to delay their projects.

As per sources, most of the major realty players have also postponed the payments to their workers due to the delay in their residential and commercial projects.

The adverse impact of this is being felt by thousands of migrant labourers who have no option but to leave for their hometowns as they fear that they will be rendered jobless for months.

According to official data, out of the 85 developers, 45 have applied to resume their projects.

“I have already been told by my contractor that there is no work available and the situation will remain like this till June. In these circumstances I have no option but to leave for my hometown,” said Shah Alam, who is employed as a mason worker.

The desperation of the migrant workers to go back to their homes was witnessed at Manesar on Sunday where hundreds of workers congregated to get themselves registered to go back home. Most of these workers are working in the automobile and construction sectors.

When contacted by the

Millennium Post, most of the builders highlighted how less number of labourers, inadequate construction material and tough social distancing norms are resulting in escalation of the construction costs.

“It is not that we don’t want to start the construction projects, but taking into consideration the present situation we cannot afford to let our costs escalate especially at a time when there is uncertainty of whether our project will find buyers or not,” said one of the builders who requested for anonymity.

One of the worse economic impacts of COVID-19 in Gurugram has been felt by the real estate sector. In the March quarter owing to the COVID19 spread the real estate sector in Gurugram saw a decline of 63 per cent.

Most of the developers have predicted that in the coming months also the housing sales in Gurugram is going to come down by 25 per cent.