Automation is indeed impacting jobs, and its effects are becoming increasingly evident. A recent field study has revealed a significant gendered impact of automation in Gujarat’s construction sector, showing that nearly 80% of women workers have lost their jobs due to the rapid introduction of machines and mechanized processes.
Released on October 14, 2025, the report “Building Futures: Women Workers at the Margins of Construction Automation” by Dr. Geeta Thatra and Saloni Mundra sheds light on this issue with striking clarity. Conducted from December 2023 to February 2025, the study covers key construction and manufacturing sites—from high-rise buildings and infrastructure projects to AAC block and precast factories—showing how automation is reshaping the gender composition of the workforce.
The move toward mechanized systems has changed the way workers are hired. Contractors now tend to favor male migrant laborers from northern and northeastern states, pushing aside local women and Bhil Adivasi women who used to make up a significant part of Gujarat’s construction workforce.
India’s construction industry provides jobs to more than 68 million people, including around 7.6 million women, and accounts for nearly 9% of the country’s GDP.The study also highlighted persistent wage inequalities. Women generally earned 10–20% less than male helpers and up to 50% less than male skilled workers. In some cases, their pay was given through male family members, denying them direct financial recognition for their work.
