Experts see potential for digital tools to improve labour management in construction sector

India’s construction sector, which reportedly employs over 70 million workers and contributes nearly 9% to the country’s GDP, may see gradual improvements in labour management with the use of digital tools, according to industry experts. As infrastructure demands grow, some believe technology could play a role in improving coordination, tracking, and documentation.

“The construction labour market has long operated in a decentralised way,” said Dr S Raghavan, a labour economist. “The introduction of digital systems is bringing in much-needed structure.”

Asutosh Katyal, founder of Captech Technologies, said, “With India’s infrastructure growing at a rapid pace, digital tools are helping synchronise labour planning with project timelines.” He pointed to the development of frameworks that aim to streamline coordination between contractors and labour suppliers. "Some platforms like, eFORCE, bridge the gap between sub-contractor/developer and labour contractor, fostering both operational efficiency and worker trust."

Urban policy researcher Meenakshi Verma said some of these platforms also aim to collect data related to worker welfare, insurance coverage, and adherence to labour standards. She noted that digital systems can support improved visibility and accountability, and may complement formal inspection mechanisms.

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