Indian migrant workers often engage in cleaning and maintenance work abroad. Recently, Mukesh Mandal, a 26-year-old Indian national with a background in software, has been working with a group of Indian migrants in St. Petersburg, Russia, doing street-cleaning and maintenance work. Mandal earns around Rs 1 lakh per month, including accommodation and meals, as reported by Russia’s Fontanka media platform.
Mandal is part of a team of 17 Indian workers who traveled to St. Petersburg to assist with labor shortages in municipal road maintenance. The group comprises individuals with diverse backgrounds, including farmers, drivers, architects, small business owners, and Mandal, who previously worked as a software developer in India.
Recruited by a Russian road-maintenance firm, Kolomyazhskoye, the workers are responsible for street-cleaning and winter road maintenance tasks in St. Petersburg. The job package offers housing, food, protective gear, and transportation, making it an appealing option for migrants seeking stable income amid uncertain job prospects in their home country.
According to reports, Mandal and his colleagues perform manual tasks like sweeping streets, clearing debris, and assisting with winter road upkeep under local supervision. Mandal, who had experience with major technology companies, expressed that his decision to take up manual work was a practical choice during a slowdown in the technology sector, aiming to earn and save money before returning to India.
The Fontanka media outlet in St. Petersburg conducted interviews with Mandal and his fellow workers, shedding light on the global tech sector’s slowdown that has led professionals to explore alternative job opportunities. While the demand for migrant workers in manual and municipal services has risen in Russia, concerns have been raised about the long-term impact on careers, worker rights, and the verification of prior professional backgrounds from abroad.
