Construction Sector Needs Stronger Government Backing: Architect Sanjay Goel

Ludhiana, July 5, 2025: Architect Sanjay Goel, former Chairman of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), Punjab Chapter, has strongly advocated for greater government support to the construction industry and allied sectors. In a statement issued here today, he emphasised that while Ludhiana remains one of the fastest-growing industrial hubs, similar attention and assistance are required across the state to ensure sustained growth and employment generation.

Goel extended his heartfelt congratulations to Sanjeev Arora, MLA from Ludhiana (West), on his induction as Cabinet Minister for Industry & Commerce, Investment Promotion and NRI Affairs, Government of Punjab. He expressed optimism that with Arora at the helm, the long-standing issues and aspirations of the construction and real estate sectors will be taken up at the appropriate policy levels.

Calling the construction sector one of the pillars of the Indian economy, Goel noted that it plays a multidimensional role in development. “Today, the construction industry is no longer limited to just buildings. It is an expansive ecosystem involving developers, colonisers, architects, engineers, contractors, real estate consultants, manufacturers, building material suppliers, and most importantly, lakhs of skilled and unskilled workers,” he said.

He pointed out that the sector directly and indirectly employs millions of people and has deep linkages with over 250 ancillary industries such as cement, steel, tiles, sanitary ware, paints, and electrical fittings. "Every single day, crores of rupees are being invested in construction activities—be it residential apartments, commercial complexes, industrial facilities, healthcare centres, educational institutions, or various government infrastructure projects," he elaborated.

Goel expressed concern that despite its sheer size and economic significance, the construction industry still grapples with multiple challenges, including inconsistent policy implementation, delays in approvals and permissions, lack of streamlined financing mechanisms, and inadequate incentives for sustainable construction practices.

He urged the Punjab Government, particularly the new Industry Minister, to take a holistic view of the sector and initiate reforms that could ease doing business for stakeholders in construction and allied industries. “If supported with the right policies, the construction sector can become a powerful engine of growth, employment, and urban development,” he concluded.