The Ministry of Labour has issued notice to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) directing it to immediately provide all amenities to contract labourers working on the project, as per labour laws.
In a statement filed before the Karnataka High Court on Thursday, K.V. Subramanian, Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), Government of India, made it clear that “appropriate actions will be initiated against BMRCL as per provisions of the applicable labour laws for the violations that may continue to exist.”
“Notices have been issued to BMRCL under Section 20 of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, directing them to provide all the amenities required to be provided to the contract labourers as stipulated [in the law] as it is the liability of the principal employer, i.e., BMRCL, since the contractors [executing metro work], by and large have failed to provide the amenities as stipulated under the Act,” it was pointed out in the statement, submitted by Assistant Solicitor General of India Kalyayan Basavaraj.
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The Ministry also stated that it had issued notice to private contractors asking them to show cause why labour licences issued under the Act should not be revoked/suspended if provisions on safety and welfare are not complied with.
It added that notices were issued to M/s Nagarajuna Constructions Ltd., URC Constriction Co. Ltd., Ahluwalia Contractors (India) Ltd., Punj Lloyd Ltd., Alstoms India Ltd., Larson & Toubro Ltd., Simplex Infrastructure Ltd., JMC Projects (I) Ltd., CEC-SOMA-CIC JV, GYT-COASTAL JV, Thales Portugal SA, IVRCL-CR, and JMC-ATEPL JV.
The statement was filed in connection with the a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by social activist Samuel Satyaseelan pointing out unhealthy living conditions of the labourers.
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The court, during earlier hearings, had pulled up both BMRCL and the Ministry for not ensuring safety and welfare of the workers as per labour laws. The inspections, conducted by officials of the Ministry as per court’s direction, had revealed a series of violations by private contractors.
When the petition came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justice K.L. Manjunath and Justice Ravi Malimath on Thursday, the counsel for BMRCL sought time to complete the ongoing inspection of construction sites to ensure welfare of labourers by the contractors. The Bench postponed hearing to August 26.
Trial run from Peenya to Sampige Road
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. on Thursday announced that it had conducted the first trial run from Peenya Industrial Area Station to Sampige Road Station on both the lines.
This line is part of Reach 3 and 3A of Namma Metro Phase 1. The trial run success paves way for further trials and certification by various authorities before the commercial run is launched.