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Chennai Entrepreneur Recalls Grueling 10-14 Hour Days at L&T in the 80s and 90s
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News18•02-10-2026, 15:35
Chennai Entrepreneur Recalls Grueling 10-14 Hour Days at L&T in the 80s and 90s
- •Sundara Rajan, a Chennai entrepreneur, shared his experience working 10-14 hours a day, 6.5 days a week at L&T Construction from 1986-1994.
- •He recounted needing 4 hours of weekday permission for personal tasks like banking, sending post, calling home, and haircuts.
- •Rajan's post sparked a debate on whether such demanding schedules represent commitment or exploitation.
- •Some users criticized the old system, arguing that long hours should not be glorified or expected of younger generations.
- •Rajan noted that construction work in the US can also be demanding but workers are well-paid, and that digitalization has brought some improvements to the industry.
Key Questions Answered
Sundara Rajan stated that project-site employees at L&T Construction worked 10 to 14 hours a day, six and a half days a week between 1986 and 1994.
He recalled having to take four hours of permission on weekdays to handle routine personal tasks like banking, sending posts, calling home, and getting a haircut.
Users had mixed reactions, with some criticizing the long hours as exploitation and abuse, while Rajan defended the environment by noting there were lean times for relaxation and that digitalization brought changes.
