The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has eased curbs on movement of real estate developers’ technical staff, including engineers, architects, and planners.
Developer bodies have welcomed the move but said that labourers too should be allowed to travel to the construction sites in dedicated transportation provided to them.
"While technical staff’s travel to sites is allowed and will help us in timely project completions, we would request the authorities to consider our suggestion on labourers travel from their camps outside. We ensure and follow Covid-19 safety protocols while ferrying them in our dedicated transport,” said Deepak Goradia,president, Credai MCHI.
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 had 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.
"This direction from the state government will help ease the hurdles faced by developers to seamlessly carry out construction work. Production would be left unhampered which will help keep up the sectoral momentum. At Hiranandani, we have made arrangements for technical staff to stay at site to avoid travel and contain the COVID-19 spread," said Niranjan Hiranandani, national president, NAREDCO.
In a letter to Iqbal Singh Chahal, Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Greater of Mumbai, Goradia had 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 had added.
Goradia had said the order permits only construction activity to be carried out with in-site 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 developer 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 had said.
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