CREDAI-MCHI Urges Maha Govt To Allow Engineers, Architects At Sites

A day after the Maharashtra government permitted construction activity in the state to continue amid the second wave of COVID-19, real estate developers’ body CREDAI-MCHI has written to the Maharashtra government to allow engineers and architects to visit construction sites of realtors and demanded that they be allowed to transport labourers from labour camps in private buses to construction sites. In a letter to Iqbal Singh Chahal, Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Greater of Mumbai, president of Credai MCHI Deepak Goradia has said, “The construction activity and labour work on its own cannot function as it requires guidance, support and supervision from Supervisors / Engineers / Architects so that construction activity is carried out according to the plans and to maintain the Covid-19 protocols. "Moreover, it is impossible to give guidance through online and remote mode. A small mishap at the construction site can lead to serious issues, which may also endanger lives of many.” "Therefore, we request to permit the travel of supervisors / engineers / architects from their residences to their respective construction sites," he added. Goradia said the order permits only construction activity to be carried out with in-situ labour residing at the site and restrict the travel of labour from outside. "In the spirit of the guidelines and to assist small and medium developers Members, to continue their construction activity, we hereby, request your permission to transport such labourers from third party labour camp in private buses/vehicles to their respective construction sites," the letter said. The association assured that its developer members will follow all COVID protocols like social distancing, only one person per seat, wearing masks, no standing allowed. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by CREDAI MCHI among 85 MMR based developers, has revealed that there has been a 2x influx of construction workers at various sites in comparison to the labourers that have left in the last two months, contrary to numerous reports on increasing reverse migration of labourers amid new Covid-19 restrictions. The survey also said that while a small fraction (2100 of 36,000 workers at sites of 85 developers) left MMR in the last few weeks, majority of it is due to festival of Holi and marriage season – a trend similar to previous years.