Mangaluru: An LPG shortage and the West Bengal assembly election have triggered a labour shortage in coastal Karnataka’s construction sector, with large numbers of migrant workers leaving Udupi and Dakshina Kannada during the peak building season.Industry representatives said the exodus has disrupted ongoing projects and could delay completion. Developers and contractors estimate that a significant share of migrant labourers, especially those from West Bengal, have already returned home.Naveen Cardoza, managing director of Marian Projects Private Limited, said the impact on worksites has been severe.The labour crunch has compounded pressure from rising input costs. CREDAI Mangaluru president Vinod Pinto said that many workers from West Bengal went home for the April 2026 assembly elections and are expected to return only after the results are announced. He said the LPG shortage has worsened conditions at sites that depend on commercial gas for mass cooking. Pinto added that extreme summer heat has affected outdoor work, though some sites have changed working hours.A realtor said some workers left for Ramadan and returned later, but those who travelled for election-related reasons have yet to return. He said summer is usually the busiest period, as developers try to complete major work before the monsoon.Another developer said employers could not stop workers from going home to vote, calling it a fundamental democratic right.Contractors said the LPG shortage has sharply raised living costs at worksites. Civil contractor Elran D’Souza said some migrants from North India also left as they were unable to cook with firewood in the absence of LPG. Quotes:“Half of our workforce from West Bengal has left the work site due to polls and others have left as they are unable to manage cooking without availability of LPG. They may return to work only after May or JuneNaveen Cardoza, MD, Marian Projects Private Limited“The labour crunch is another blow to the construction industry in coastal district which is already hit by increase in laterite and sand prices. Those workers are also finding it difficult due to LPG as well as rise in prices of essentials while salaries have remained same.” Rohan Monteiro, MD, Rohan Corporation
