Builders provide free food, medicines to halt exodus of migrants

A number of Noida-based real estate developers have been successful in convincing migrant construction workers not to leave their construction sites and head back

A number of Noida-based real estate developers have been successful in convincing migrant construction workers not to leave their construction sites and head back to their home towns during the ongoing nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19.

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As the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, these developers reached out to the labourers and convinced them that they and their families will remain safe, healthy and have access to adequate food and medicine at their respective construction sites. Several prominent builders such as ATS Infrastructure, ACE Group, Jaypee Group, Wave Group, Supertech Limited and others decided to provide all essential services right at the construction sites.

“Our construction workers are like an extended family to us because they are the ones who build housing projects. It was not safe for them to go back to home towns in groups. Therefore, we have started giving them free food and medicine to around 1,700 labourers at our all sites in Noida and Greater Noida since lockdown was put into effect,” said Ajay Kumar, chairman and managing director, ACE Group.

Jaypee Group, who is also into health care, has given up its properties to be converted into quarantine facilities, where migrant workers are being kept in isolation. Apart from providing food to construction labourers, the Jaypee Group has also made quarantine facilities at its multiple properties including a hospital in Noida and two hospitals in Bulandshahr.

“Our group is committed to extending full support to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to fight Covid-19. We have reserved a 20-bed ward for quarantining in a Noida hospital and have given up a full hospital in Chitta and another one in Anupshahr in the neighbouring district of Bulandshahr. Our effort is to fight this pandemic together and provide relief to the needy during this time of crisis,” said Sunny Gaur managing director of Jaypee Healthcare.

“Our volunteers have also shown our labourers how to stay safe by washing hands, maintaining social distance and staying inside their living quarters at sites. And since we have provided food and counselling regularly, they have stayed back,” said Getambar Anand, CMD, ATS Infrastructure.

These builders have also started sanitisation work at the sites, where construction workers are staying.

“As we adopted 2,200 labourers and have taken care of all of their family members. We have assured them of medical help and free food for the 21 days of lockdown,” said Manpreet Singh Chadha, chairman, Wave Group.