Mangaluru: Construction companies and contractors in the region are grappling with a severe shortage of labourers, leading to project delays and escalating costs. Abhinandan, manager of works at Mugrody Constructions, which is executing several civil projects in the district, revealed that many workers from West Bengal and Bihar departed for elections and have not returned since.
Despite repeated efforts to bring them back, the situation remains unchanged. Abhinandan stated that the company is experiencing a critical manpower crisis, hampering operations and driving up project costs. Before the elections, they had around 1,000 workers, but now only about 100 remain. He also highlighted that some workers request money for train tickets but then abandon the job, while other contractors lure them away with higher wages.
Anil Hegde, a private contractor specializing in concrete roads, noted that all his projects are delayed due to the crunch, which has persisted since February. Road and drainage works in Mangaluru, as well as village road projects, are stalled. Hegde added that even workers from north Karnataka are now demanding higher salaries.
A Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) official confirmed that many contractors are reporting labour shortages. Labourers from north Karnataka are increasingly seeking jobs as domestic helps or in apartments, leaving contractors dependent on north Indian workers. Several projects, including the service road from Pumpwell to Ujjodi, have been delayed due to this issue.
An official from Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIFDC) said that some works under the Jalasiri project were affected after workers returned to their hometowns in north India, mainly during the polls. The official noted that they currently have 120 workers but need an additional 200, who are expected to return in the next two weeks.
Officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) stated that they currently have no major works, so they are not experiencing a shortage. They said, “Other small local and maintenance works are under way. Initially we had a labour crunch during elections, but now it is fine for us.”
