SC seeks response on PIL for safety for construction workers
The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses of the Centre and others on a plea seeking directions to prescribe occupational safety and health standards for workers involved in building and other construction activities under the 2020 code.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana took note of the submissions of advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner ‘National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Labour’ (NCCCLCL), and issued notices to the Haryana government and others.
The plea also sought an independent, time-bound investigation into the collapse at a construction site in Gurugram’s Sidhrawali area on March 9, 2026, and compensation and rehabilitation benefits for the deceased and injured workers. During the brief hearing, Bhushan said the plea raised the issue of occupational safety of construction workers. He said the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSH), 2020 does not adequately address the issue. Ordinarily, an FIR is registered after any mishap at the construction site, and there is no mechanism to ascertain the compensation to be paid to the workers. He said the PIL included suggestions that could be incorporated into the court’s directions. “This is not an unoccupied field (in law). You can examine the laws and point out flaws, if any,” Justice Bagchi said. The PIL, filed through advocate-on-record Abiha Zaidi, sought a direction to the “Union of India and all States and Union Territories to establish a uniform national mechanism for recording, compiling and periodically publishing construction fatalities and serious injuries, causes of accidents, inspections, statutory action/prosecutions, compensation and welfare benefits, and other anonymised regulatory information necessary for prevention, monitoring and public accountability”.
It also sought a direction to the Centre to declare standards on occupational safety and health for workplaces relating to building and other construction work under the 2020 code.
It also sought directions for a comprehensive investigation into the incident at Signature Global City of Colours, including scrutiny of the roles of the developer, its directors and management personnel, project and safety officials, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and other persons concerned.
Seven labourers were killed and four others, including three Nepalese men, were injured when a mound of soil collapsed on them at a construction site in Gurugram in March this year.
“Direct a complete, independent and time-bound investigation and statutory/technical inquiry into the construction-site collapse dated March 9, 2026 at Signature Global City of Colours, Sidhrawali, Gurugram, including examination of the role of the principal employer/developer, its responsible directors and management personnel, project and safety personnel, engineer/responsible person, contractor, sub-contractor and any other person concerned,” the PIL said.
It also sought a direction to the “competent labour, compensation and welfare authorities to identify and verify every deceased and injured worker and, in a coordinated and time-bound manner, determine, recover and disburse all compensation, medical/rehabilitation assistance”.
The plea also said injured workers and the family members of the deceased should also be given welfare board benefits, unpaid wages, and other statutory dues admissible in law.
