Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 22

Construction and allied activities have been greatly affected due to acute labour shortage in the city.

Raj Kumar, a contractor of down ceiling, said plenty of work was available after a large number of housing projects started in the city following the initiation of unlocking process. However, an adequate number of men were not available. He said most of the labourers were not in a position to buy the expensive return ticket.

Budh Ram, who along his son Manish, returned from his native place Gonda on Saturday, said they came by a private bus after paying Rs2,500 per head. “The fare for the same distance by train on an unreserved ticket costs Rs450 per head. How can a labourer’s family afford such an expensive travel?” he asked.

Balkirat Singh Sonu, a construction contractor, said labour shortage had slowed down the pace of his many projects. “Same is the condition with sanitary, white washing, tile and granite laying works. As 80 per cent of workforce in these jobs are migrants.”

Ram Bhawan, general secretary, Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Parishad, said there was a shortage of labourers in all those professions where migrants were engaged. He said the railways must restart maximum number of trains between Punjab, UP and Bihar to bring back the labourers. He said, “A labourer has to pay nearly Rs3,000 per head to reach from Bihar, which was highly exorbitant.”

He urged the Punjab Government to intervene in the matter and convince the railways to restart more trains.