Restoration work of Shimla's Bantony Castle starts, provides work to migrants amid COVID

In a major relief to the stranded migrant workers in Himachal Pradesh, the state Tourism department started restoration work of the heritage site 'Bantony Castle' amid the fourth phase of nationwide lockdown. The project has provided labour to homeless migrants stranded in Shimla without means of living during the COVID-19 crisis.

The conservation and rehabilitation of over 125-year-old building project by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism department started in 2016 and the estimated cost of the project is over Rs 25 crore.

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Unemployed migrant labourers who wanted to return to their native places decided to stay back as the renovation and restoration work of the over century-old building from the British era commenced. The workers also informed that due to certain restrictions in the lockdown there is a shortage in material supply that can hamper their work.

"I came here around seven months ago. We are getting work now. I'll go home when lockdown will end, I don't have enough money now", a migrant labourer from Jharkhand, Sukhmania said while speaking to ANI.

Another labourer, Pradeep Bhagat who works as a stone cutter said, "The lack of material can hamper our work so I am looking forward to continuing the work and demand a regular supply of material as the shortage of construction material is hampering our job." 

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The in-charge of the construction project at the historic building restoration said that most of the migrant labourers were stranded and did not have work. Now as the work has started they are waiting for more relaxation in curfew so that the construction material can be supplied and the labourers can get a permanent job who were jobless for over almost two months.

"Due to the lockdown we have faced many problems but since we have been granted permission to resume our work, we are trying that the construction work gets back on track. We are adhering to the social distancing norms along with other precautions. Now the labourers want to work here and earn money. We are facing labour crunch but work will take some time to get back on track. Around 50 labourers are working here. We have to revise the work schedule to see how many more labourers we need here," said Dikshit, project In-charge.

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(With ANI inputs)