Industrial production too picks up pace after COVID-19 lockdown relaxation with precautions

Mysore/Mysuru: The sound of hammers striking hot iron, loaders shifting iron rods and wooden poles from trucks to ground site, drilling and crushing of stones and trucks transporting sand and construction materials is emanating from almost all localities of Mysuru city as the construction of stalled building and residential projects has resumed. Likewise, industrial production too has resumed after a gap of more than 40 days.

Though construction activities are expected to be in full pace in another two to three days, realtors, contractors and builders are cheering the lockdown relaxation to the construction industry. One of the activities that have been allowed to resume even in the Red Zones is construction for the economy to pick up.

 In urban areas, construction activities have been limited to in-situ construction (where workers are available on site and no workers are required to be brought in from outside) and construction of renewable energy projects, the Government order read.

Only in private sector

However, construction activities have begun only in the private sector with the Government sector yet to begin activities. Contractors and builders said that there is no shortage of construction material as there is easy availability of bricks, hardware, and other materials. “Cement is a concern as there is short-supply. We don’t stock up cement and a bag of cement is being sold between Rs.400 and Rs. 500. Usually, the price is Rs. 380 per bag,” Dinesh, a Class 1 Contractor told ‘Star of Mysore.’

While the private sector has begun construction, the Government sector is slow to initiate works including several pending works such as bridges, buildings and roads. In Mysuru, a majority of Government construction is taken up by Mysuru City Corporation, Mysuru Urban Development Authority, Minor Irrigation Department, Public Works Department and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited.

Initial hiccups overcome

CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India) Mysore Chapter President H.S. Subramanyam told this newspaper that the industry has begun activities and will resume in full swing in one or two days. “Yes, there is movement of goods from godowns and construction sites and we have local labour. The initial hiccups have been overcome,” he said.

Immediate Past Chairman of Builders Association of India (BAI), Mysuru Centre, B.S. Dinesh too was optimistic that the economy will brighten up with the construction industry picking up pace after a long hiatus. Except that the industry is not getting workers from Nanjangud as the area is still sealed due to COVID-19 spread, other workers are travelling to construction sites with adequate precautions.

“I can confidently say that 30 to 40 percent of the activity has begun with local workforce and transportation. Even we have skilled migrant workers from other places who have not left Mysuru. A lot of projects have been kept pending. The industry was sitting idle and had no work. Now that work has started, it feels nice and this has got a boost,” he said.

Industrial production

Along with construction industry, industrial production too has begun in Mysuru. There are over 26,000 industries including small, medium and large scale. Mysuru Industries Association (MIA) Secretary Suresh Kumar Jain said that all industries located in areas like Yadavagiri, Metagalli, Hebbal, Hootagalli, Koorgalli, Vishweshwaranagar and Thandya in Nanjangud have stepped up production.

“We are taking all precautions including daily fogging, social distancing, wearing masks and using sanitisers at every step. All these measures have been made mandatory and we are following the Government guidelines,” Suresh Jain said.