CHENNAI: Construction sites across the state are preparing to restart work after the easing of lockdown restrictions in non-containment areas in Chennai and other cities, with many undertaking pooja and cleaning up exercises.
S Sridharan, chairman of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India, Tamil Nadu, told The New Indian Express that almost all the sites have started poojas and sanitising the areas before resuming work.
Many infrastructure projects have also resumed. Sources in Chennai Metro rail told Express that work is resuming at Wimco Nagar, Shenoy Nagar and other sites following the easing of restrictions. A worker at one of the sites said all precautions are being taken before starting the work including social distancing.
The state has permitted work in construction sites in non-containment areas in Chennai, which comes under the red zone, with certain conditions. Only workers living at the construction sites are allowed to work.
"The work will resume in two or three days with social distancing measures in place. The standard operating procedures will be maintained at all sites," said Sridharan.
But developers are worried that migrant workers who have been away from their families during the lockdown may prefer to return home.
Many migrant workers are not keen to resume work due to a trust deficit. Duleshwar Majhi, a contractor of Harinarayan Constructions which provides manpower to a leading developer in Guindy Industrial Estate, said the workers are not happy to resume work as they are not being provided adequate food. He warned that all 700 migrant workers will leave the site on Tuesday and walk towards their home states.
Things are no different at another site in Ayanambakkam. 33-year-old Bhagirathi, a carpenter from Chapra district in Bihar and a father of two children who started working here from November, told Express that all the workers are keen to go home.
Policemen came and took our details. "They said they will allow us to go based on our registration after making arrangements for buses," he says.
He says the workers, mostly from Bihar and Odisha, are awaiting their salaries due on May 8. He said the contractor has asked to them to resume work but they have refused. "We will resume work after we return from our home states," he says.
Interestingly, many migrant workers are so eager to return that they reached Chennai Central hoping to get into any train that will take them home.
"We are daily workers from Kolkata and are waiting for a train to take us home," a worker told Express. The workers had even gone to the district collectorate to find out how to reach West Bengal. "The collector said that he has not got any intimation from West Bengal on taking back the migrant workers. All other states have given their approval. Only West Bengal has to give its nod," he said.
Sridharan said if the workers want to go back home, nothing could be done. It is their right, he said, adding that it will hit the real estate sector whose hopes were raised after the state allowed construction work in non-containment areas in Chennai.