Realty, hospitality sectors in Maharashtra yet to feel full force of migrant workers

May 14 and 15 will forever be etched in Mukesh Mali’s mind. Two major industries of Mumbai — hospitality and real estate — stare at a bleak future as several migrant workers haven’t returned due to the high number of active coronavirus cases in Mumbai. Estimates by industry bodies like the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry and the Indian Hotels and Restaurant Association reveal the current shortfall to be approximately 210,000 workers in the real estate sector and around 300,000 workers in the hospitality sector, which comprises everything from small roadside dhabas to boutique hotels and includes a host of subsidiary businesses. Real estate sector hit On April 2, Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority extended the registration validity of projects by three months, and on May 18, by another three more months invoking the ‘force majeure’ clause and stating that the Covid-19 outbreak was a calamity that was adversely affecting the development of real estate projects. “We used all available modes of transport such as arranging buses, booking train tickets as well as making flight reservations to bring our workers back,” said Rajendra Varma of ORDPL.