Workers rampage at DLF site, seek better work conditions

Labourers break glass doors, vandalise site office of contractor Leighton India

Workers protested and vandalised Leoghton India’s office at the construction site of a DLF project on Friday.

Over 3,000 labourers protesting against alleged poor working conditions and inadequate health and transport facilities went on the rampage on Friday at the construction site of DLF’s luxury condominium project ‘The Camellias’.

The workers vandalised the office of the contractor, Leighton India, breaking glass doors and damaging a dozen laptops.

The engineers and the supervisory staff had to lock themselves inside rooms to escape the fury of the mob.

The staff was rescued after the police reached the construction site on Golf Course Road and brought the situation under control.

Went on strike

Gurugram Commissioner of Police Sandeep Khirwar and Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deepak Saharan visited the site.

The violence broke out around 9 a.m. when the workers, who had been on strike since Thursday demanding better working conditions, were called for a meeting at the construction site, but the senior officials of the construction company did not turn up.

“When the project director and the other senior officials did not come for the meeting even after an hour, the labourers became restive and went on a rampage. The mob vandalised the office and also pelted stones,” said Rupesh Kumar, a labourer.

Staying nearly 8 km away at the company’s temporary camp at Ullawas village in Sector 61, the workers alleged that only eight buses are provided for their transport. They added that the quality of food at the camp was very poor.

Some workers claimed that the firm made them run around for their provident fund after they quit and in most cases the PF was deducted but not deposited. They also complained of misbehaviour by the staff of the human resources department.

Directions to contractor

Gurugram Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bharat Bhushan Gogia told The Hindu that he had directed the contractor to provide 20 buses for transport.

“The workers also told us that they were served poor quality aloo subzi every day. So, I directed the contractor to prepare a menu for the week and a committee of five workers was constituted to monitor the quality of food,” he said.

“The contractor has also been told to set up a grievance cell and resolve complaints, if any, within 48 hours to avoid the situation from getting out of hand. The labourers also had some misgivings about their PF and ESI, the contractor has therefore been directed to put up 8-10 boards at the site to inform them about the law on this,” said Mr. Gogia.

The official statement from Leighton India read: “There have been some queries with regard to altercations between the workers and their supervisors at the site. We would like to put it on record that these were minor in nature stemming from some misunderstanding and have been amicably resolved between the two parties.”

A case has been registered at Sushant Lok police station against 40-odd unidentified men under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.