Construction activity in Tamil Nadu has been hit by a sudden shortage of migrant workers, with industry representatives saying many labourers from West Bengal have not returned after travelling home for elections.
Migrant workers form a significant part of the workforce not only in construction but also in manufacturing, textiles and services. Labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal are among the largest groups employed across the state.
According to Tamil Nadu government data cited by the industry, around 35 lakh migrant workers are currently in the state. The large-scale return of migrant workers during the COVID-19 period in 2020 had triggered controversy, following which the Centre and the state began rolling out social security measures and increased efforts to enrol migrants as beneficiaries.
S. Ramaprabhu, a southern zone office-bearer of the Indian Construction Professionals Association, said projects often rely on workers from a single state for specific tasks, and West Bengal workers were widely used in some sites. He said many left to vote in Assembly elections and later travelled again during Bakrid, but have not come back.
With work stalled at projects dependent on these teams, contractors are now trying to bring in fresh workers from Odisha and Bihar, a shift that the industry says is creating multiple disruptions in the construction sector.
