How will be the Construction Industry Post Covid-19?

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In the era of this economic slowdown, unemployment, and national lockdown, when the whole world is continually working day and night for saving their citizens from the wrath of pandemic COVID-19, we, civil engineers and contractors, do have some pertinent questions running in our minds, i.e., how will be the construction industry post-covid-19.

How will be the Construction Industry Post Covid-19?

1. Will the Construction Business remain unstaggered after lockdown?
2. Will Civil Engineers be able to get jobs amid economic slump?
3. What about the investments that we spent on big projects?
4. What can a civil Engineer do to counter the Corona pandemic?

All these questions will be answered in this article. But for that read till the end. History repeats itself. Ironically it’s not a myth. When World War 2 was fought some decades before, hundreds of cities were ravaged. The ruthless wrath of vengeance was observed specifically at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where the nuclear bombs destroyed, not only the present but also the past and future of that Country, Japan. We still observe the reverberation of the echoing of nuclear evil there.

1. Did construction stop over there?
2. Did the infrastructure remain devastated as it was?

The answer is absolute, “No.” The construction has been revamped even more holistically. Just look at today’s scenario. History is again repeating itself. A virtual war between humans and Corona Virus has come into action. This is not a weaponry war but a virtual war. Its wrath can not only be seen in some nations but on the whole earth. If, after nuclear destruction, construction had started, then why not, after this pandemic war. Construction has remained a basic requirement for human beings from the ancient age. But due to National Lockdown, it has been checked but only for some time. Have patience, and don’t worry, is what we suggest to our community of Civil Engineers.

Upcoming Challenges

The first and foremost thing which we are going to face is “INFLATION.” Yes, construction will get costly. As per the guidelines of health organizations, masks and sanitization will be made mandatory even after the removal of lockdown. The insurance of masons and other masonry workers will also be a thoughtful issue in the future. So, Contractors have to look after these indispensable aspects for future endeavors in construction. Also, the Scarcity of Labourers will be an issue for Contractors in the future for some time due to migration of laborers to their hometown. Resultantly, construction will get expensive.

Future Construction Mantra

The path-breaking mantra for future construction is Design-Manufacture-Assemble. Yes, you all guessed it right. We all have to focus on Precast Construction in the future to overcome the adverse effects of lockdown in the coming decades. Briefly say then try to manufacture the building in the factory in respective time. However, in that process, workers precast the essential members of the structure inside the industries. We have a lot of Ready Mix plants and Construction industries in our cities. In some green zone where a few factories have been working even today under some guidelines, if we start doing precast, some indispensable structural members like beams, columns, slabs, etc., we will surely save time for stranded big projects in future. The projects are in gamut, which stranded in mid-construction due to sudden announcement of national lockdown. With this, we can spend our time in a very constructive way.

Virus Free Building - Myth or Reality

Can we have a virus-free building in the future? The answer to this is partial “NO.” Today, we do not have any such kind of technology. We do have some anti-bacterial paints which make the air inside our home purer than outside. However, some budding engineers and full-time researchers have been in up to this and certainly will come up with new technology in the future. In today’s scenario of a pandemic, some government and non-government organizations have figured out DISINFECTANT TUNNEL, where sanitized raindrops keep sprinkling perpetually. But it needs good maintenance and is also not very cost-efficient.

Construction in Economic Slump

Contractors and Civil engineers should be at ease because, even in lockdown, account audits of construction projects are being registered digitally. They even don’t need to visit their offices. Design engineers and architects have been indulged in CAD, REVIT, and STAD-PRO like software and trying to figure out more cost-efficient and innovative designs. Amid this, some do have the misconception that we will soon encounter unemployment. Some students think that the Government will not offer any job for a particular tenure in the future. These misconceptions are misconceptions. Do not worry at all. Indian economy is considered a five trillion dollar economy and the fastest growing economy in the world. Money has been reserved for crucial times. We should ponder that we all are at our home for two months. In these months of lockdown, the consumption of petrol and diesel has faced decrement drastically. Resultantly Government did not buy crude oil from other foreign countries. It’s blatant to say that this money can be simply infused into future construction and jobs.

Civil Engineer - Only Solution for CORONA

Do we know what the current vaccine is, which we all are consuming daily to fight Corona? You all will think what this stupid nonsense is. We do not have any vaccine yet. But we all are consuming the magnanimity and aura of home to counter Corona. Our home is our lethal weapon to strike Corona. But a well-planned home is far better than a simply constructed home. But rather than looking at this at the micro-level, assume it at a macro level. Compare the Mumbai Dharavi area with other well-planned areas of Mumbai. Dharavi, the biggest slum of Asia, where the population of 1.6 million is residing, is not a well-planned area. Here Corona cases are far more than planned areas. Then it means town planning plays a significant role in defeating pandemics.

Conclusion

If we are looking to save the future after lockdown, then the time has come that we must pull our socks up and start looking for better planning in the future, not only for the urban area but also for slums.