Leading Indian infrastructure developer Iconic Developments reported that construction of its self-contained luxury apartment complex Iconic Galaxy in Rajagiriya was gathering momentum with the relaxing of lockdown laws in the country.
Construction partner MAGA Engineering resumed work in May with health and safety regulations in place as stipulated by health authorities. Kicking off with just 26 workers, MAGA now has 328 workers on-site and hopes to be working with the full capacity of its workforce by July providing over 450 workers with employment.
“The economic impact of the first-ever global pandemic has been devastating as commerce came to a grinding halt and many lost their jobs. However, with countries now relaxing lockdown regulations, we have seen the flow of commerce resuming to what it once was. Even though global recovery may be slow, the resilience of the Colombo condominium market has allowed us to continue providing our workers with a steady source of income during these economically unstable times,” Iconic Galaxy Managing Director Rohan Parikh said.
Workers reporting back are required to provide a report from the PHI of the area in addition to being subjected to a mandatory induction programme to enter the site, with necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provided by the company.
Temperature checks and scans, routine hygiene checks, enhanced sanitary measures and the work being staggered are some of the steps taken for workers on-site, along with strict guidelines for usage of lifts, the cafeteria and other gathering areas.
“Our primary goal is the health and safety of our workers as we resume construction and the stringent protocols put in place has guaranteed that we have had no infections on site so far. We are proud of this achievement and commit to ensuring it remains so through these trying times,” MAGA Project Manager Mr. Arjuna Jayasinghe said.
In addition to safety requirements for workers, measures have also been put in place to ensure the site is safe. These steps include the site entry temperature check, training and designing COVID-19 compliant personnel, hand sanitizers, the installation of handwashing facilities and frequent cleaning of high use areas such as restrooms and eating areas. Additionally, all vehicles entering the premises are disinfected at the entrance with all employees encouraged to follow social distancing.
The Iconic Galaxy is set to deliver 272 super-luxury, two, three, four and five bed-roomed apartments amidst a plethora of world-class amenities and services. Accessible from two roads, the apartment complex is perched on the trunk route of Buthgamuwa Road, spread over an area of approximately 1.5 acres of land. The apartment complex will be home to a 7-level private club worthy of a 5-star hotel, private guest suites for overnight visitors and on-site conveniences that include a supermarket, business centre, beauty salon and laundromat.
The apartment complex was also recognized in the residential high-rise development category for Sri Lanka at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2020-21.