Noida: Lakhs in database but realtors are finding it tough to get workers back

NOIDA: The mass exodus of migrant labourers from construction sites of Noida during the lockdown will tell on completion timelines because real estate companies are struggling to convince them to return despite organised efforts – which includes a database of workers available with the necessary skill sets and reaching out to them through a call centre – over the last month and a half.

Across Noida, which has the bulk of UP’s housing and commercial real estate projects, work at construction sites has been plodding along with less the half the required manpower reporting back so far.

There have been some encouraging signs in the latter half of July with more workers arriving, but the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases across districts, containment zones, weekend lockdowns and apprehension about sudden closure of work sites due to pandemic-related restrictions have all contributed to a lack of confidence and kept the pace of return ponderous.

At present, realtors say 80,000 construction workers are available in Noida, which is one-fifth of the number that is usually employed in the district. Though there is a database of 11 lakh workers, many of whom returned to UP from other states, to choose from, only around 55,000 workers have returned this month from 63 UP districts as well as parts of Bihar and West Bengal.

“We are having to convince each worker that work will not stop again and they will be safe. We are also calling up the respective district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates to extend a guarantee of gainful employment. There’s a lot of doubt and fear among them still,” said Harendar Yadav, the Naredco official who was at the helm of running the call centre to contact workers. Naredco had in May signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UP government to employ 2.5 lakh workers.

On Wednesday, the two realtor associations, Naredco and Credai, said they would need a six-month extension in addition to the six months’ relaxation given to them by UP-Rera. The regulator will consider their plea in August. “We will see if deadlines can be relaxed further,” UP-Rera member Balvinder Kumar said.

According to Rera records, out of 2,043 ongoing projects in UP, Noida has 670, of which 417 are due for completion by the end the year. Except for sites where builders were able to retain workers during the lockdown, all others have struggled to make any progress.

And even at the sites that have managed to become operational, manpower is well below requirement. “We have regained 50% worker strength at our sites but we do need an extension of deadlines from UP-Rera,” said RK Arora, chairman of Supertech and president of Naredco, UP.

Builders said the weekend lockdown was hurting them too eight work days would be lost per month. Amit Modi, Credai west UP vice-president and MD of ABA Corp, said, “We had around 1,700 workers before the lockdown and were left with just 400 who we managed to retain. Now, after continuous efforts, we have been able to bring back some 1,000 labourers. Workflow has suffered and delivery timelines will be affected to some extent.”

Some developers seem to have tasted more success than others. One of them is ACE Group. “We have five ongoing projects in Noida and Greater Noida. We lost 1,000 labourers who had stayed with us through the lockdown but left when trains started. However, we have been able to secure 80% of our work force now,” said ACE CMD Ajay Kumar.

Pankaj Bajaj, MD of Eldeco and president of Credai NCR, said, “We have about 60% workforce, but there is definitely a need for extension of timelines. The weekend lockdown is affecting workflow. All shops are closed during the weekend, so if something breaks down or we run out of something, we have to wait until Monday to procure it, which means work stops for almost two and half days in such cases,” Bajaj said.

A Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) representative said workers were in a dilemma because of the traumatic experience of the lockdown. “What will they do in the villages? There is no work and the government schemes are not enough, so sooner or later, they will have to come back to seek work. But there is still a lot of apprehension and some will only come a few months later,” said Pawan Kumar, north zone head of BMS.

Munsad Ali, a labour contractor, said, “People took great pains to return to their villages, and now some of them do not even have the money to come back and are stuck. There is also fear of another lockdown. People will come back, but it will take time.”

Those who have returned knew they were taking a risk but didn’t have a better alternative to fall back on. “There was no point waiting in Noida when the lockdown started, so I went. But obviously, I can’t be sitting at home for weeks and there are needs, so I returned,” Akhtar Ali, a worker at Cleo county returned from Hapur, had told this correspondent earlier this month.