| Just as the knowledge sector such as IT, ITeS | | | | they get good salaries and perks like in the IT |
| and bio-technology, the Indian construction | | | | companies. |
| industry, which is set to witness massive | | | | According to a study many huge projects in |
| investments in the next five years, is also facing | | | | major industrial belts are getting delayed by 12 to |
| an acute shortage of skilled workforce. The | | | | 18 months because of non-availability of workers. |
| construction industry in India is facing a huge | | | | According to the study cities like Mumbai, New |
| shortage of manpower, especially those with | | | | Delhi, Gurgaon, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and |
| skill-sets to sustain the burgeoning growth in | | | | Kolkata are facing severe shortage of |
| infrastructure and housing sectors. | | | | construction workers. It has also been pointed out |
| The real estate boom has increased the demand | | | | that the construction sector will account for over |
| for construction workers manifold and hiring | | | | one fourth of new jobs to be created in the next |
| workforce is becoming a major task for | | | | eight years. |
| construction companies. Shortage of construction | | | | With pending projects and thousands of vacancies |
| workers has, in fact, slowed down the growth of | | | | staring them in the face the developers are trying |
| industry in metros and major cities across the | | | | all tactics to get the required workforce. |
| country. | | | | However, turnover is not the only casualty of this |
| Special technically skilled manpower and project | | | | shortage as several construction companies have |
| managers having all round knowledge are in short | | | | also been forced to lower their recruitment |
| supply. There is 30 per cent shortage of specially | | | | standards. The companies, which earlier had |
| skilled workforce. The demand for civil engineers, | | | | stringent qualifying standards, have now lowered |
| too, is much more than the available strength. | | | | the bar. |
| Most of them prefer taking up jobs in the IT | | | | Secondly, they are no longer insisting on hiring |
| sector or accept lucrative assignments in the | | | | engineering graduates only as diploma holders too |
| Middle East. | | | | are welcome. Now construction companies are |
| Civil engineering graduates don’t find these | | | | also approaching educational institutions for job |
| jobs lucrative because construction companies | | | | placements. |
| don’t pay enough and the jobs are also | | | | So while on one hand the shortage of workers is |
| temporary. After a project is finished in one state | | | | alarming, on the other hand it also translates as a |
| the company moves to its project in another | | | | bagful of opportunities as it has opened up a |
| state leaving the workers behind. In most cases | | | | sector with thousands of jobs just waiting for |
| the workers too don’t prefer to shift unless | | | | enterprising takers. |