Mumba

BAI to train jobless youth to tackle worker scarcity

To tide over a shortage of workers in the construction sector after migrants returned to their home towns, the Builders Association of India (BAI), Mumbai centre, will impart skill development training to unemployed youth from villages in and around the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the new chairman of BAI, Mumbai centre, Mohinder Rijhwani, said, “It seems the migrants will not be back till COVID-19 crisis is over, due to which there will be a shortage of labourers in the construction industry. This will be a major handicap for restarting real estate and infrastructure projects in and around the MMR.”

BAI intends to take up the challenge of generating skilled and unskilled labourers from villages in and around the MMR, who are unemployed but are ready to work in the construction industry as carpenters, masons and fitters. “BAI wants to work with NGOs to source the labourers from the villages,” he said.

“BAI initially will work with its members to ensure that unskilled labourers are trained on the site by specialists and then BAI wants to start training centres for which the State should provide suitable land,” the letter to the CM said.

Mr. Rijhwani said more than 5,800 projects have been stalled till date, and the MahaRera has received complaints against them under Sections 7 and 8 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, for revocation of the registration of the projects.

He said such projects should be completed through formation of a panel of interested contractors.

Next Story