Side effects in the architecture profession since the time of the Covid-19 pandemic

No new projects came into our venture during COVID-19. The projects that came are waiting for a covid free environment or just enquiring or coming for small work which cannot be neither counted in the project nor earn anything from them. Our main customers are middle class people who are businessmen, self-employed or employed people.

First of all, let’s talk about businessmen – during Covid 19 there are some people whose source of income has not made any difference. Their projects can start anytime. We depend on them. For the rest, the source of income has either stopped or has become very less. These people do not want to take the risk of putting themselves in trouble by investing in a new project. These people are waiting for a covid free environment. We are glad that everyone is in touch with us and also making inquiries about the projects. It is a positive sign for both of us.

Coming to second category of self-employed people – their condition is also similar to that of the first category, whose source of income has either been closed or greatly reduced during Covid-19. Because of which their financial condition is not good. These people are not able to invest in any new project. These people are trying to run their business smoothly again. Until their financial condition recovers again, it will not be fair to expect their projects. Their number is huge and because of this, the number of their projects is also more.

Talking about the third and last category of employed people – these people are also victims of the ill-effects of Covid-19. Most of these people have lost their jobs or whose salaries have been cut. We do not get any special business from these people, but these people are very important. These people are the main means of contact for our business. Therefore, it is also very important for them to be healthy from an economic point of view.

One thing that came to the fore in this global pandemic is that the projects in our profession are being achieved either through government schemes or by people associated with the government. Ordinary professional architects or consultants neither have projects nor does the government have any plans for such professionals. Everyone is struggling to survive in the market.

The most interesting thing is that no one even wants to talk about this topic. Most of the architects have to resort to lies even when there is no project or work to maintain their image in the profession. Whereas this is the situation of most professionals. In such a situation, when the information about a proposed project is found in the market or by a particular person or to a particular person, then all the architects seem to try to take the project at any cost by the policy of “साम-दाम-दंड-भेद”. Remember that a project like this can never have a healthy ending.

Who is responsible for these situations in our profession and what can be the solution? There should be talk on this. Whereas there is no dearth of scope for profession, in proportion to the population of India, there is an unlimited scope for our profession. There is a lot of work for all the architects and consultants but the profession being unorganized does not make any effort to solve this problem. All architects or architectural firms talk only for their individual image and not for the profession. Why?

This is a very serious matter for our profession. What do you think about this?