Indian Construction Workers Deserve Better

Introduction

India’s construction industry is the 3rd largest sector in terms of the number of employees from the total workforce. In 2023, 13% of Indias workforce was engaged in the construction industry, creating livelihoods for over 7.1 crore workers. Additionally, this number is expected to reach over 10 crore by the year 2030, according to a Knight Frank-RICS report. Hence, its evident that this industry is leading force in economic growth and infrastructure. However, despite the immense contribution they make, their contributions are not accounted for in pay, or in protection.

While flyovers, roads and buildings of this marvellous era rise on the Indian landscape, the workers whose hands build these receive unsafe working conditions, negligible wages and social apathy in return. Isn’t it time for India to realise that it’s construction workers should be treated with dignity – not just in words, but in concrete and effectful changes. 

1. Wage Inequality

Indian construction workers are often met with alarmingly low wages varying from a daily wage for unskilled construction workers at ₹300-₹500 and ₹700–₹1,000 for skilled laborers. This is despite the fact that the Indian Labour Conference’s minimum recommended daily wage is ₹692. Additionally, these wages feel to meet with inflation, leading to widening economical gaps between the rich and the poor, often leaving the poor with economic instability and insufficiency for them and their dependants. It is also found that most of the times, overtime pay is not given to workers despite long work hours and hard work. Clearly, their physical labour is not compensated for at these wages. 

2. Dangerous Working Conditions

Nearly 24% of all work-related injuries happen in the construction sector – making it the most dangerous industry in India. Some common ones are falls from heights, electrocutions, debri drops, machinery accidents, heat stress, musculoskeletal traumas and more. A large number of these accidents could have been mitigated by employing simple safety precautions and gear, which is usually not done to cut down on costs and increase profit. This results in an ironic situation where the workers who build us safe homes, offices, and buildings are often not safeguarded when doing so due to us. 

3. Lack of Social Security

Construction workers in India work on a casual, contract basis which does not offer any social or work security. The workforce at every site keeps changing, leading to absolutely no job protection. Additionally, there is no social security benefits like access to healthcare, pension, retirement benefits leading to more financial burden and making these workers economically vulnerable.

4. Exploitative Practices

Due to the lack of regulation and representation, construction workers are seen to be exploited in same cases. It is seen that contracts withhold or underpay workers which trap them in debt cycles and further reinforces them to accept these low wages to repay loans. Labourers are unable to complain about this exploitation due to their socio-economic status. This results in a workforce which is left voiceless and powerless despite their massive contributions to our lives.

Remedies

Despite the common beliefs, bettering the lifes of construction workers does not require large financial expenditures. It rather needs better policies, enforcement and responsibility.

1. Making and Enforcing Safety Standards :
   a) Requiring on-site safety officers who inspect each building site
   b) Regular checks and heavy fines for violations
   c) Subsidies given to companies to provide safety gear at lower costs to construction employers. 
2. Skill Development – Free government courses to improve worker skills, making them more hireable with better wages. 
3. Direct wage transfers with government checks can help provide timely and adequate payment.
4. Workers should be given healthcare at lower or no costs by the government across states because of the migratory needs of their jobs. 
5. Government run welfare programmes 

Conclusion: Valuing Those Who Build the Nation

Quite literally, construction workers carry the country’s process on their backs by leading our infrastructure and development. However, in India’s environment their work is often overlooked. It’s time to address this imbalance through remedies without breaking the bank. True Developemtn is not only about building sky scrapers but also about ensuring good lifes for the hands that built them.