Chennai construction workers seek housing allotment within city limits

A cross-section of construction workers in Chennai has urged the State government to allot housing within the city limits, saying years of work and repeated representations have still left many of them without a roof over their heads. A construction workers’ union has sought houses for 21 homeless members of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers’ Welfare Board. They were reportedly informed the housing could be allotted only in neighbouring districts due to a lack of options within the city. In a representation submitted to the Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, the Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam (Construction Workers Union) said while the Welfare Board’s housing assistance scheme - which provides ₹4 lakh per beneficiary - has benefited workers in rural areas and has been cited as a model by other States, construction workers living and working in Chennai continue to remain without housing. Referring to a government order passed in January 2022, the union said it had applied for housing for 21 board-registered construction workers in the city. It added allotments outside the city will adversely affect the workers’ livelihoods, as their employment depends on proximity to construction sites. Venkatesh, a resident of Villivakkam, said he usually finds work in areas such as Padi and Ambattur. Being relocated to places like Avadi or Thirumallivoyal would still be manageable for him, and he could even commute as far as Red Hills, he said, but anything beyond that would be difficult. Injured in his leg in 2022, Mr. Venkatesh now walks with a limp. The union has sought allotment of houses by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board in locations such as N.N. Nagar in Chintadripet, Santhosh Nagar in Egmore, Moorthingar Nagar in Vyasarpadi, Royapuram, and Moolakothalam. Lalitha, who has been working in construction for over two decades and lives in Tondiarpet, said if the allotment were made anywhere outside North Chennai, she would have to spend extra money and would not have the time to manage household chores. According to the representation, the Welfare Board has agreed to provide ₹4 lakh per worker towards housing. The beneficiaries are prepared to pay the remaining amount in installments, the union said, seeking early allotment after securing the required financial allocation. R. Geetha, secretary of the Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam, said construction workers put in long and exhausting workdays, and housing within the city, without displacing them, would offer much-needed relief. Published - December 26, 2025 08:00 am IST

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