A large number of workers from Bihar have left Hyderabad to cast their votes in the Assembly elections scheduled to be held on November 6 and 11 in that state.

With their departure, construction activity in the city has slowed down, facing a shortage of labour for the past 10 days. Nearly eight lakh workers from Bihar live in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana, working primarily in the construction sector as masons, steelworkers, and flooring labourers.

According to realty industry officials, the majority of unskilled workers engaged in construction activities in the city are from Bihar. As the election season began last month, workers started leaving for their native places, and over the past week, most have already returned home to exercise their franchise.

They are expected to return to Hyderabad after two weeks, while some have indicated they will come back only in December. The recently concluded Chhath Puja celebrations also affected construction activity, as many workers travelled home for the festival. Now, the ongoing elections have further worsened the labour shortage in the sector.