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Realty developers’ body NAREDCO urges govt to lift lockdown on construction activity


Real estate developers’ body the National Association of Real Estate Developers Council (NAREDCO) has urged the government to allow construction work at project sites with safety measures and lift the lockdown on such activities to avoid delivery delays and business losses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a sudden stoppage of work at construction sites across the country and also labourers’ reverse migration to villages. The lockdown has resulted in unfinished and partially complete work, resulting in the possibility of losses that can be minimized, developers believe, if the pending work could be completed.

In the initial days, the reaction of labour across cities was to reverse-migrate to the perceived safety of their villages. In keeping with directives from authorities, labour was persuaded to stay back, with basic facilities being provided at the construction sites.

“Given this situation, the option of allowing construction sites to return to activity, obviously with safety measures being strictly implemented, is one that needs to be considered by the authorities,” said Niranjan Hiranandani, President NAREDCO & ASSOCHAM.

According to him, the human resource is largely still at construction sites, and instead of keeping them in a ‘lockdown’ situation, giving them some activity will also keep them occupied– as also help avoid major economic losses as a result of stoppage of work at sites.

Given that real estate and construction support over 250 other industries, if work at real estate sites is allowed to resume with due safety precautions being followed, the economic impact will also be positive.

The government has directed developers and contractors take care of labourers’ immediate needs including food, daily requirements and importantly medical support even if the work is stalled during the lockdown period. Several developers have already been following these directions.

According to NAREDCO, there is urgent need of completion and maintenance of facilities at sites, like rain water harvesting pits and storm water drains, completion of which will need to be done before the monsoon sets in.

Excavations started for basements as also foundation piling needs to be completed and covered, else the rainwater will collect in the same, and we will face bigger challenges as the monsoon progresses. It is in keeping with these ground realities that allowing the site labour to complete these tasks will ensure urban habitat does not collapse in the aftermath of the monsoon, the body said.





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