Nagpur: The Second Capital of Maharashtra’s skyline may be soaring, but the human cost behind its gleaming towers is becoming impossible to ignore. Data compiled from police and labour-office records show that at least a dozen construction workers have lost their lives between January and June 2025 at high-rise projects across the city. Most of the victims were young migrant labourers from neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

A pattern of preventable deaths:

Investigations reveal a common thread: workers toiling without personal protective equipment (PPE), safety nets, or basic first-aid facilities. The majority of fatalities were caused by falls from upper floors, while others were electrocuted after contact with exposed wiring.

Despite clear evidence of negligence, the incidents are routinely registered as accidental deaths, say police sources. Out-of-court settlements—often a lump-sum payment from the contractor or developer to the bereaved family—frequently replace criminal prosecution, allowing projects to proceed unchecked.

Official stance:

Joint Commissioner of Police Naveenchandra Reddy conceded that “negligence is frequently observed,” stressing that the city’s Labour Department has already issued robust safety protocols under the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act, 1996.

“Implementation and oversight of the BOCW Act—which safeguards the safety, health, and welfare of construction workers—is crucial,” Reddy told Lokmat News Network. “However, despite clear lapses, many cases end in compromise because contractors offer financial compensation to victims’ families.”

Calls for stricter enforcement:

Labour-rights activists point out that Nagpur’s construction boom is outpacing regulatory oversight. They are urging authorities to:

• Conduct mandatory safety audits and surprise inspections of all high-rise projects.
• Enforce criminal liability under the Indian Penal Code and BOCW Act for contractors who ignore safety norms.
• Create a city-wide database of accidents to track repeat offenders and blacklist negligent builders.

Why it matters

With Nagpur positioning itself as a regional real-estate hub, worker safety is becoming a reputational issue for both developers and local government. Unless enforcement catches up with the construction frenzy, experts warn that the city’s growth story risks being overshadowed by preventable tragedies on its building sites.