Archive · 29 Dec 2025
Real Estate Faces Worker Shortage; Mechanisation Helps
The real estate industry in southern India is having a hard time finding enough workers.
Many workers who left during COVID haven't come back because they found better jobs in their home states.
This is slowing down construction projects and making them more expensive.
To fix this, companies are using more machines like Formwork and Aluform.
These machines help build things faster and need fewer workers.
Some companies are also making better places for workers to live and paying them on time to keep them happy.
Without enough workers, the industry is growing slower than it could.
Real estate industry in southern India faces severe shortage of 20 lakh skilled workers, potentially rising to 50 lakh in 5 years.
Migrant workers prefer jobs closer to home due to better opportunities and welfare schemes in their states.
Companies like Shriram Properties and DRA Homes are using mechanisation (Formwork, Aluform) to reduce labour dependency and speed up construction.
Mechanisation reduces slab cycle time from 21 days to 6 days and requires only 1/4th of usual labour.
Companies are improving worker accommodations and payment schedules to boost morale and retention.
- Who
- Real estate companies in southern India, migrant workers
- What
- Severe shortage of skilled workers, increased mechanisation
- When
- Post-COVID, ongoing
- Where
- Southern India (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu)
- Why
- Better opportunities in home states, improved local employment, welfare schemes
- Industry Growth
- 10-12% annually
- Worker Shortage
- 20 lakh currently, could reach 50 lakh in 5 years
- Impacted States
- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
- Mechanisation Methods
- Formwork, Aluform, Aluminium Shuttering
- Company Affected
- Shriram Properties (short 25,000 workers)
- Construction Time Reduction
- Slab cycle reduced from 21 to 6 days
- Labour Reduction
- 1/4th of usual labour required with mechanisation