New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Mohammad Adib says he felt proud after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised labourers for their contribution to the Central Vista project.
Abid had left home in Bihar’s Banka district for a job after his father died two months ago. Little did he know that he will end up working at the new Parliament building in Delhi and getting praised by the prime minister.
“My friends say I am working to build Parliament building and Modiji has also praised us that makes me feel good,” said the 21-year-old construction worker while having lunch near the project site.
“I have my mother and a young brother back home and I hope to save some money for them,” he said.
Many workers mostly from rural pockets of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal gathered for the lunch and found time to discuss personal problems, families and perennial monetary issues .
Binod Kumar Singh Chauhan hoped that Modi’s praise for workers engaged in “historic” work may ensure better facilities of accommodation, food, water, transport and timely payment.
“We thank Modiji for praising us and recognising our contribution to this shaping up of history. I sincerely believe it will improve conditions of our stay at our camp in Kirti Nagar,” said Chauhan, who hails from Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.
Chauhan claimed that he has a law degree but was forced work as a mason due to poverty.
“It’s a tiring job involving work for hours at a stretch. We also have to spend considerable time in getting ready for work and waiting for bus to catch to reach here from Kirti Nagar camp,” he said.
The new Parliament building will have a special gallery dedicated to workers engaged in its construction, the prime minister had announced on Thursday after inaugurating ‘Kartavya Path’ stretching from Rasthrapati Bhavan to India Gate.
Modi, during inaugural of Kartavya Path, also interacted with a group of 16 workers engaged in redevelopment of the entire stretch and invited them along with their families as special guests on the 2023 Republic Day Parade.
“The Shramjeevis of Central Vista and their families will be my special guests on the next Republic Day Parade,” the prime minister had said.
A group of workers from Boyar village in Sagardighi, West Bengal said they missed the inaugural of the Central Vista by Modi as they were on duty.
“The programme started in the evening but we were working at that time. Later, we watched video of the programme on WhatsApp,” said Mijanurrahman. His fellow villager and colleague Wasimuddin smiled and nodded in agreement.
“We earlier worked with a contractor in Mumbai and came here after work was finished there. I do not think we will stay here for long because our expenses on food an other needs are to be borne by us and there is no payment despite working around 1.5 months,” Wasimuddin said.
Several other workers shared their experiences.
“May be years after, one day some one will mention the new Parliament building and I will tell them that I worked preparing it,” said Babloo from Noida, employed by a contractor to set up power supply in the building.
Infrastructure firm Tata Projects Ltd is constructing the new Parliament building as part of the Modi government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project.
The government plans to hold the Winter Session of Parliament in the new building. The prime minister had laid the foundation stone of the new building in December 2020. PTI VIT VIT AQS AQS
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.