Job search today is all digital, including interviews. Yet, labour chowks remain physical.  Hundreds of migrant workers assemble at labour chowks across the country, come rain, hail or sunshine.

India’s construction sector is the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture. According to a report by Knight Frank & RICS, 71 million workers were estimated to be employed in this sector as of 2023, out of which over 80 percent are unskilled.

Determined to create a better job-finding experience for these workers, Chandrashekar Mandal started Digital Labour Chowk — an online platform connecting daily wage labourers with job opportunities.

According to Chandrashekar, the platform has already provided regular income to over one lakh workers.

Hailing from Ami village in Darbhanga, Bihar, Chandrashekar had seen his relatives struggle for daily work. The lockdown deepened his empathy as he witnessed migrant workers’ hardships in returning home.

“If there are platforms for finding white-collar jobs like Linkedin, Naukri, Indeed, and more, why shouldn’t there be one for blue-collar jobs? I decided to build one and move the physical labour chowks digital. Daily wage workers too should be able to look for jobs from the comfort of their homes,” he says.

With this idea in mind and just Rs 20,000 in savings, Chandrashekar quit his job in September 2020.His determination paid off when an incubator in Pune invested Rs 10 lakh in August 2021, sparking a series of grants and further investments.

Chandrashekar started by hiring a team of seven and campaigning in labour chowks with thermos jars of drinks, like Roohafza in summer and chai in winter. He also partnered with local mobile shops and grocery stores to help workers register on the app.

“We spoke to them and explained what we were trying to do. This was an opportunity to escape a life of uncertainty. Since most migrant workers are from Bihar, we explained that they wouldn’t have to migrate all the time,” says Chandrashekhar.

They also set up kiosks in highly populated districts to spread the word. To get contractors, project managers and companies on board, they partnered with builders’ associations and Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in Bihar and Noida.

The platform is built for construction companies and workers, masons, painters, carpenters, etc. When a customer (contractor) signs up, they add details like location, kind of job, wages per day, number of days for which labour is required, and whether accommodation and food are provided.

Workers can access these details and call the job poster directly to express their interest. On the workers’ side, they add details like their skills, past experiences, and minimum wages. Digital Labour Chowk is working to make digital labour cards for these workers, which will provide them with an identity.

“We are also planning to give incentives based on their performance to boost their morale. This is our effort to organise the informal industry,” says Chandrashekhar.

Many of the projects last for at least 21 days, according to Chandrashekhar. He claims that there are 500 to 1,000 jobs posted daily on the app.

Recognised by Startup Bihar, Startup India, Citibank, and more, Chandrashekhar is rearing to go. “I want to provide a credible virtual identity for these workers. The idea is to transform this unorganised, unidentified sector, and provide them visibility,” he says.