AP Minister Flags Poor Safety, Unpaid Dues at Visakhapatnam Projects
On Friday, AP Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board chairman Valavala Mallikarjuna Rao, labour department additional secretary Gandham Chandrudu and senior officials joined the minister in conducting surprise inspections at multiple construction sites in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam: Labour minister Vasamsetti Subhash has emphasised strict adherence to safety standards at construction sites and directed authorities to ensure greater supervision. He said every construction company must provide workers with essential facilities, including toilets, rest rooms, first-aid kits, and basic protective equipment such as helmets, masks, shoes and gloves.
On Friday, AP Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board chairman Valavala Mallikarjuna Rao, labour department additional secretary Gandham Chandrudu and senior officials joined the minister in conducting surprise inspections at multiple construction sites in Visakhapatnam.
Their first stop was the Iconica Grande villa project in Madhurawada, where 125 villas are being built on 15 acres with around 300 workers. The minister expressed dissatisfaction over the inadequate number of toilets and first-aid kits and instructed the company to provide proper facilities, accommodation and safety gear without delay.
At the nearby Vaisakhi Sky Lounge project, Subhash interacted with workers, engineers and company representatives and was satisfied with the facilities in place.
However, during his inspection of the MVV GV The Grand project at Sai Priya Estate on Bakkannapalem Road, where 1,900 houses are under construction, the minister flagged serious safety lapses. He noted muddy site conditions, lack of safety measures and the absence of protective equipment for workers. He also confronted company representatives over unpaid cess charges, stating that MVV GV The Grand owes the government nearly `11 crore. He directed officials to issue notices immediately and criticised public representative MVV Satyanarayana for failing to meet minimum safety standards.
Subhash stated that inspections will continue across the city and instructed labour department officials to remain vigilant. He was accompanied by Rama Rao, joint commissioner of labour, Sunitha, deputy commissioner of labour, Visakhapatnam, and several assistant commissioners and officials.
