The Silent Struggles of Migrant Workers in Hyderabad’s Construction Boom

As Hyderabad continues to rise skyward with high-rise buildings and expansive real estate ventures, the city’s booming construction industry leans heavily on the labour of thousands of interstate migrant workers. These workers, largely from Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, form the invisible backbone of urban development. Yet, behind the concrete and glass facades, lies a troubling story of neglect, exploitation, and human rights violations.

The Human Rights Forum (HRF), a non-funded and non-political organization committed to democratic values and human rights for the past 25 years, has  conducted multiple fact-finding missions across construction sites in Hyderabad—particularly in the Gachibowli and Kokapet regions. What we discovered is deeply concerning and calls for immediate government intervention.

Labour Camps: A Breeding Ground for Exploitation

Construction companies usually operate through contractors who provide a workforce and establish temporary labour camps. While these camps are supposed to offer basic facilities like potable water, toilets, and safe accommodation, the reality on the ground is starkly different.

Our investigations revealed that several sections of the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 are routinely being violated:

• Wages Below Minimum Standards (Section 13(b)): Workers are often paid less than the minimum wages prescribed by law.
• Lack of Proper Documentation (Section 23): Contractors fail to maintain passbooks in a language understandable to the workers, thereby denying them documented proof of employment and wages.
• Poor Amenities (Sections 39, 40 & 45): Essential facilities like clean drinking water, sufficient toilets, and proper living conditions are grossly inadequate.
• Absence of Canteens (Section 41): Despite many worksites being operational for more than six months, canteens are not established. Workers are forced to buy groceries and cook in cramped, unsafe spaces.
• No Crèches for Children (Section 44): There are no crèche facilities for the children of workers below six years of age, violating their rights and jeopardizing their well-being.

Systemic Negligence by Labour Authorities

Perhaps more alarming than the violations themselves is the lack of monitoring by the Labour Department. According to information we obtained through Right to Information (RTI) requests, no inspections have been conducted at many of these labour camps—highlighting the failure of authorities to uphold even the most basic legal standards.

Section 20(2) of the Act mandates inspections of work sites, yet this is seldom enforced. Without the presence of appointed inspectors (as allowed under Section 20(3)), there is no mechanism to ensure that migrant workers are receiving their entitled rights and benefits.

Living Without Dignity

Beyond the legal violations, the human cost of these conditions is heart-wrenching. Workers live in poorly ventilated, overcrowded spaces with inadequate sanitation, unsafe working conditions, and no access to healthcare. Complaints of wage distortion, denial of overtime, and lack of redressal mechanisms are widespread.

These are not just violations of labour laws—they are violations of human dignity.

Our Demands for Immediate Action

HRF calls upon the Telangana State Government and the Labour Department to take the following immediate steps:

1. Appoint Inspectors under Section 20(3) to conduct regular and surprise inspections at labour camps and worksites.
2. Strict enforcement of existing laws to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and basic amenities.
3. Launch awareness programs to educate both employers and workers about their legal rights and responsibilities.
4. Establish a grievance redress mechanism for workers to safely report violations.

Migrant workers are vital to Telangana’s economic progress, yet they remain among its most vulnerable populations. Protecting their rights is not just a legal obligation but a moral imperative. It is time for the state to act decisively—to ensure that these builders of our city are not left to suffer in silence.

Sanjeev, working as General secretary for Hyderabad Unit of Human Rights Forum. The Human Rights Forum (HRF), a non-funded and non-political organization committed to democratic values and human rights for the past 25 years in Telugu States. It is founded by Human Rights Activist K. Balagopal.