BHOPAL: With manufacturing units expanding across Madhya Pradesh, industries in Jetapur, Ratlam, Dhar, Ujjain, and Bhopal are increasingly establishing residential blocks within their factory premises. This shift underscores a move towards integrated industrial campuses.
Numerous companies have notified the industries department about plans to build housing for workers on their designated industrial land, aiming to lessen commute times and enhance employee retention.
The trend is gathering pace in both established and emerging industrial hubs, where companies are asserting that quality housing is as crucial as road, power, and water infrastructure. Employees will benefit from reduced commuting time, lowered transportation costs, and improved access to workplace amenities. Meanwhile, industries anticipate gains in productivity, decreased attrition rates, and an easier time attracting skilled workers.
Himanshu Prajapati, executive director of MPIDC in Indore, noted a significant rise in demand for residential development within industrial zones in recent months.
“Industries are allowed to develop residential units on up to 5% of their land. Many in newly developed industrial regions have already built housing, and interest in such facilities is increasing,” he shared.
Industry representatives highlighted that the lack of quality housing near factories is a pressing issue as investments surge in sectors like automobiles, engineering, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and food processing.
Gautam Kothari, president of the Pithampur Audhyogik Sangathan, emphasized the necessity for affordable housing close to workplaces, stating, “Companies offering residential options find it easier to retain skilled workers and minimize turnover. As industrial clusters expand away from city centres, integrated campuses with housing and essential amenities will be vital for ongoing industrial growth.”
Firms are recognizing that housing availability plays a key role in attracting talent from other districts and states.
Rajesh Rathod, executive director of MPIDC in Ujjain, mentioned that upcoming industrial zones in Ratlam, Pipalrawan, and Polaykalan are being designed with ready-to-move-in accommodations for employees within the industrial areas.
“The aim is to create self-sustaining industrial ecosystems where workers can reside near their workplaces, enhancing both convenience and industrial efficiency,” he concluded.
