Construction activities in Coimbatore hit due to shortage of workers

For the construction sector, which has nearly 70 % of its workforce from other States, the hike in raw material prices and a number of migrant workers returning home have stalled several activities.

Chairman of Builders’ Association of India, Coimbatore Chapter, Panneerselvam, said that almost 70 % of the migrant workers, employed in skilled and unskilled jobs, have returned home in the last few days through the special trains. “The building sector here employs nearly 6,000 workers. At least 70 % of them are migrant workers and almost 70 % of these workers have left for their home States,” he said. The remaining workers are reluctant to come to work because they want to return home whenever they are able to take a train.

Another builder said they were asking the migrant workers to come for daily wages so that the workers can leave the site if their trains were confirmed. “Only with this assurance have some workers returned to the construction site,” he said.

The industry employs a large number of workers from other districts of Tamil Nadu too. They had all gone home when the lockdown was announced. The construction companies are now applying for e-passes to bring back these workers.

“We fear that construction costs will go up as the workers available will now ask for higher wages and we have to complete the works taken up,” one of the builders said.

“I had more than 300 workers at my project site in February. Many of them left for Holi to their home States and I had about 150 workers. Now, in the last few days, at least 50 % of them have taken the special trains,” a property promoter added.

Another challenge that the builders and property promoters are facing is steep hike in raw material prices. While prices of M-Sand and bricks are stable in Coimbatore, cement and steel costs have shot up, adds Mr. Panneerselvam.

Cement prices are up by ₹100 a bag (50 kg) and steel prices by ₹5,000 to ₹6,000 a tonne. There is no shortage in availability of these materials. But the prices have been increased. Contractors will be affected by this, he said.