Construction Workers Locked Down & Out!

30 Mar 2020 Editorial Team

Photo courtesy: Reuters

The Lock Down announcement, in view of the current situation of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 plaguing the economy, should have also provided for the living and travel guidelines for the migrant labour at construction sites. Although the Finance Minister has announced a Construction Workers' Fund , in India, most of the migrant labourers are provided bare living facilities on the construction sites. With the sites being closed under the Lock Down, the construction workers had no option but to fend for themselves. In the absence of any advisory and fearing that they would run out of their accumulated bare minimum savings, since most send all income back to their villages, they decided to walk home. Thousands have chosen to walk from Delhi to villages in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and even Nepal from where they hailed. They would rather rely on the savings back home, their means of subsistence in a bit of land that they own and the family.

Watch this video going viral on construction workers.

Video courtesy: TOI Bareilly

Read my Open Letter to the Finance Minister with recommendations to help the real estate and construction industry recover from the Coronavirus Impact or Covid-19 Impact here.

Also read the Coronavirus or COVID-19 impact of real estate here.

Telangana Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) KT Rama Rao had convened a meeting with the Construction & Builders' Association representatives and stated that all the construction and infrastructure companies should take care of the migrant labourers who are working at their sites. Some of the companies have provided such facilities. This directive comes in a bit late as hordes of migrant workers are already on their way home in many states.

A redeeming feature is that several villages have barricaded themselves in and have made it mandatory for the returning city dwellers to accept a 14-day quarantine outside the outskirts of the village in a makeshift residential facility to prevent infection in the villages. This has happened in Maharashtra and in Andhra Pradesh.

About the Author:
Pratap Padode is Founder, ASAPP Info Global Group, and Editor-in-Chief, CONSTRUCTION WORLD. He is also Founder & Executive Director at FIRST Construction Council and Smart Cities Council India.

Real Estate

08 May 2026

Integrated Waterproofing Strategies

Waterproofing buildings used to be an annual pre-monsoon affair but the evolution of real-estate development has changed that approach. In new developments, developers are weaving waterproofing solutions into both the design and construction phases, an approach that Nikhil Madan, Managing Director, Mahima Group, says, “is all about ensuring lasting durability [of the building] and keeping lifecycle risks including water seepage and extensive maintenance to a minimum.”Watertight by designAluminium formwork systems aren’t commonly thought of as a waterproofing tool but at the Mahima Group,..

GROHE Showcases Water-Led Design At Milan

GROHE unveiled its GROHE SPA Aqua Sanctuary at Milan Design Week 2026, transforming Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato into an immersive showcase of water, design and wellbeing. Built on the philosophy of ‘Wellbeing Through Water’, the installation reimagined bathrooms as holistic spaces for relaxation, rejuvenation and self-care.The Aqua Sanctuary was presented through three interconnected sanctums. The first showcased the 3D-printed GROHE SPA AquaTree shower and faucet, highlighting bespoke innovation and biophilic design. The second featured the Atrio Private Collection and GROHE SPA x Buster..

Rahee Group Expands Rail Manufacturing Capacity

Rahee Group has outlined a multi-year investment roadmap to expand its operational footprint and strengthen manufacturing capabilities for India’s growing railway and urban transit sector. The Group is expanding in Odisha with a new Track Component Casting Unit, for which the groundbreaking ceremony was held on 8 April 2026 in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.The Group’s flagship EPC arm, Rahee Infratech Ltd, continues to focus on complex rail infrastructure projects, including track systems, bridges, viaducts and ballastless infrastructure. Its wholly owned subsidi..