Pune: Two ambitious projects being implemented in the city, namely – the metro railway and the 24x7 uninterrupted and equitable water supply will be delayed due to ‘Ghar wapsi’ of workers (the flight of migrant labourers to their native) during the epidemic.

RETURN FOR WORKERS TO THEIR HOME
After the central government allowed them to return to their native states and made special arrangements, over 50,000 migrant workers have gone to their hometowns from Pune district.

There are 2,800 workers working on the Pune metro railway project. Till date, the Pune metro rail administration tried hard to stop these workers from going home. But as the government started special trains for them, they registered their names and returned to their native places. Most of the labour force is from Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

LABOUR SHORTAGE
Speaking to Sakal Times Pune metro Public Relations Department General Manager Hemant Sonwane said, "Around 50 per cent labourers went to their home states. We are persuading the remaining workers to stay back. Till date, they have not packed their bags, but we don't know what will happen in the coming days. "

"The work will be delayed due to the lack of manpower,” he added.

Maha Metro has set a deadline to start the trial of the metro railway on a 5-km of stretch from Pimpri Chinchwad to Phugewadi in June. For the first few days, Pune metro will run the train on a trial basis and check technical, operational issues and solve them. Later, commercial services will begin. However, it is not likely to happen.

24X7 WATER SUPPLY PROJECT
PMC contractors are also facing problems due to the labourers returning home. The 24x7 water project work is going on in the city. It is a major project in the city. After the state government guidelines, PMC has allowed to resume the work on the water supply project. However, it couldn't restart work as a major chunk of labour has gone to their home states before the announcement of the lockdown. Contractors were taking care of the remaining workers. They also tried giving an option to the workers to stay in PMC shelters. But they preferred to go back home by Shramik trains.

PMC water supply department superintendent engineer Nandkumar Jagtap said, "Yes. Contractors are facing the problem of labour shortage, which is affecting the project work."

PMC initiated the 24x7 water supply project at the cost of Rs 2,550 crore to solve the water problem of the city. It raised Rs 200 crore through bonds and also levied water charges. It has set a deadline of five years to complete the project. It was approved in February 2018 and work started in December 2018. PMC allotted work to L&T and Jain Irrigation.