A group of students of the National Institute of Technology, Calicut, are building a makeshift shelter for migrant labourers who are working at construction sites near their campus. This is against the backdrop of outbreak of cholera among workers who live in unhygienic conditions.
A. Arvind, project lead, a fifth semester student of architecture, told The Hindu on Saturday, “Theses migrant labourers make houses for us. But they don’t often have a proper shelter and their living standards are poor. They live in structures made of aluminium sheets and find it difficult to fulfil even their basic needs.”
“We thought of doing our bit to change this situation. So a group of students designed and proposed a stationary shelter with a kitchen and a bio-toilet, which can accommodate seven people,” Mr. Arvind said. The structure is made entirely of sustainable materials like bamboo and bamboo roofing sheets. It can be dismantled, assembled and can be transported to other sites, he said. The total cost is nearly ₹90,000.
The students got the support of the Design and Innovation Centre of NIT, Calicut, which promised to reimburse ₹75,000. “The fund will be reimbursed after inspection of its quality. As students, the real challenge was to raise ₹90,000. We pooled in our pocket money and sought the help of our fellow students and started the construction on August 14,” Mr. Arvind said.
Anil Kumar P.P., Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, who is part of the project, said the idea was to provide sustainable residential units for migrant labourers near their worksites. Mr. Kumar said that one or more such units could be rented out by the person employing the labourers depending on the duration of work. As the cost of its production was below ₹1 lakh, the rent too would be low.
Mr. Arvind said that almost 70% of construction was complete. “Due to our hectic schedule in the college and exams, we work in evening and till morning. It will be completed by Sunday evening and handed over on Monday,” he added.
