In Delhi’s construction sector, many women migrant workers continue to face harsh working conditions, with a striking lack of access to clean and safe sanitation facilities.
A recent report by The Indian Express highlighted how female labourers at sites across the city endure long hours with no proper washrooms, often leading to health risks and dignity violations.
At labour hubs like Madanpur Khadar, women workers begin their day early, often ensuring they use a toilet before leaving home—aware they may not have another chance until evening. Many have shared that requesting a break to use the restroom can cost them their jobs, especially during menstruation, when access to clean and private facilities becomes even more crucial.
The report documents multiple women describing unsafe and unhygienic menstrual practices, such as reusing the same cloth for the entire day, often in the absence of any place to change or dispose of sanitary materials. One woman recounted being dismissed from a job simply for asking to use a toilet inside the building she was helping construct.
This reality stands in stark contrast to the provisions of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, which mandates employers to ensure access to clean toilets, drinking water, and even crèche facilities.
Even at prominent construction sites, including the newly developed World Trade Centre in Nauroji Nagar, sanitation remains a concern. Portable toilets are reportedly in disrepair, and workers allege that access to indoor restrooms is restricted to managerial staff, with security guards denying entry to labourers.
Health professionals cited in The Indian Express warned of serious consequences, including urinary tract infections and dehydration, as women often limit water intake to avoid using unclean toilets. Prolonged use of unsanitary menstrual cloths can also lead to infections.
Activists and experts quoted in the report stress the need for better enforcement of existing laws and greater awareness of rights among women workers. They have also called for supportive policies such as paid menstrual leave and improved on-site medical support.
While the Delhi government had earlier announced a mandatory summer break from 12 to 3 pm for construction workers, some male labourers told The Indian Express that this too remains poorly implemented, with only an hour-long lunch break offered in practice.
Despite working in essential infrastructure and development projects, the women at the heart of Delhi’s construction boom continue to be denied the basic right to dignity, health, and humane working conditions.