Hyderabad’s work-site schools bring education and safety to children of migrant workers

Cranes and earthmovers dominate Amaravati’s skyline as Andhra Pradesh’s greenfield capital, where towering government complexes and landmark infrastructure, takes shape. But behind the rapid construction is a quieter story of migrant workers, local communities, women exploring entrepreneurship and skill development opportunities, and the people whose lives are being transformed alongside the city.Among the thousands of workers contributing to Amaravati’s transformation is 46-year-old Deepak Maiti from Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, who has spent the past year amid cranes, concrete, and steel helping build the capital city.Maiti is among 1,900 migrant labourers, mostly from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha, engaged in constructing the sprawling multi-storied NGO housing project at Nelapadu village under Thullur mandal in Guntur district. His workday begins early and stretches for nine hours. Despite demanding schedule, thoughts of home are not far away. “My old mother awaits me back home. I visit her whenever possible,” he says softly.As dusk settles over the workers’ camp, the atmosphere begins to shift. After a long day at the construction site, labourers gather around carrom boards and ludo games, sharing laughter and enjoying moments of camaraderie. Yet, conversations often drift back to families waiting thousands of kilometres away.Maiti’s story is echoed by many others at the site, each carrying a similar tale of migration, sacrifice and hope. One of them is 35-year-old Indrabhan, a farmer from Bharatpur in Uttar Pradesh, who arrived in Amaravati four months ago in search of additional income, while the crop on his farm awaits harvesting.“Like many seasonal migrant workers, I plan to return once the farming season demands my attention,” he says. On a lighter note, he adds that five fellow workers from his home State are also at the site. “I don’t feel out of place, and adapting to life in the camp has been easier,” he says.InclusivityTo make life away from home easier for these migrant workers, the contractor has put in place facilities to cater to their diverse cultural and daily needs. Separate kitchens and dining areas allow them to prepare meals according to their culinary preferences, while a grocery store within the camp stocks daily essentials, lending a sense of familiarity and routine to life far from home.The camp site is equipped with bunk beds, sanitation facilities, safe drinking water, kitchens, dining halls, first-aid centres, CCTV surveillance, emergency response systems and recreational spaces for sports and weekend movie screenings. Even with these facilities, the emotional burden of migration remains difficult to overcome. For 32-year-old Ramswamy from Odisha’s Rayagada district, separation from family remains the hardest part of life away from home. Having arrived in Amaravati six months ago in search of work, he left behind his wife and two young children, an eight-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter. After a long day at the construction site, one ritual remains non-negotiable. “I make video calls every day after returning to my room. Seeing my children refreshes my body and heart,” he says, a gentle smile lighting up his face. “The facilities here do not lessen the pain of separation from the family,” he adds.Life at the site is not entirely defined by work and separation. Community celebrations, including birthday events, provide workers with relief from the rigours of construction.Welfare at the camp extends beyond accommodation and recreation. ”Welfare measures complement a safety programme that begins even before a worker enters the site,” says Nilanchala Hotta, Occupational Health and Safety Manager at Larsen and Toubro, the multinational conglomerate company implementing the NGO housing project.Highlighting the mandatory medical examinations, safety induction, and continuous training, Hotta says the project has recorded four million safe work hours while maintaining full co