A Guide for Workers from Other States Moving to Kalamassery

Key facts

Kerala made registration of guest workers mandatory in 2023 and launched the Athidhi portal; employers, labour contractors and building owners are responsible for registering workers.
In 2024 the state announced a unified portal and mobile app, with Aadhaar-based registration and a unique ID for each worker.
Kerala’s Awaz (Aawaz) scheme, launched in 2017, offered guest workers free medical treatment worth ₹15,000 a year and ₹2 lakh accident-death cover; uptake was reported as very low.
Kalamassery’s workplaces include HMT, KINFRA Hi-Tech Park, the Eloor–Edayar industrial belt and the upcoming Adani Logistics Park.

Bowls of Kerala curries served for a sadya. Photo: Gangulybiswarup / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Why so many workers come to Kalamassery

Kalamassery has been an industrial town since the mid-20th century — HMT’s machine-tool works, the old Premier Tyres plant (now Apollo), the KINFRA Hi-Tech Park, and next door the FACT fertiliser works at Eloor and the Edayar industrial area. Newer jobs come from logistics and warehousing along the Seaport–Airport Road and the Adani Logistics Park being built near HMT, plus construction, delivery and hospital support work. Our workplaces guide and warehouse and delivery guide explain who hires where.

Registration: the Athidhi portal

In 2023 the Kerala government made registration of guest workers mandatory and launched a portal called Athidhi (athidhi.lc.kerala.gov.in), run under the Labour Department. Reports say the duty to register sits mainly with employers, labour contractors and the owners of buildings where guest workers live — they log in and add the workers they employ or house.

In September 2024 the state said it would launch a unified portal and mobile app, using Aadhaar to give each worker a unique ID that other departments can see. Systems change, so ask your employer or contractor:

Have you registered me? Can I see or note my registration number?
Which Aadhaar number and mobile number did you use? (Make sure they are yours and up to date.)
Is there a card or certificate I should carry?

Registration details here come from news reports and government announcements. Check the current process with your employer or the nearest Labour Office (Kerala Labour Commissionerate: lc.kerala.gov.in).

Health: the Awaz scheme and where to go

Kerala launched the Awaz (also spelled Aawaz) health insurance scheme for guest workers in 2017, described as the first such state scheme in India. It offered free treatment worth ₹15,000 a year at empanelled hospitals and ₹2 lakh cover for accidental death, with registration through the Labour Department and a biometric card. A December 2022 News Minute report found very few workers had actually claimed benefits, mostly because they did not know how to use the card or which hospitals accepted it. Some later reports mention a higher medical limit; ask the Labour Office what applies now.

Whatever your card status, government hospitals are the first stop for affordable care. Government Medical College, Ernakulam is in Kalamassery itself, and Aluva has a District Hospital. See hospitals and clinics near Kalamassery. In an emergency, call 112.

Papers to carry

Aadhaar card (original plus two photocopies) and a few passport photos.
Your employer’s or contractor’s name, address and phone number, written down.
Bank passbook or account details — most Kerala employers pay into a bank account.
ID for the hostel register and police verification for tenants.

If your Aadhaar address or phone number needs updating, see Aadhaar and Akshaya centres near Kalamassery. To open an account or send money home, read banks and ATMs around Kalamassery.

Food, weather and daily life

Kerala food is built on rice, coconut and fish, but chapati, parotta, eggs and dal are easy to find, and Kochi has shops and small eateries that cater to workers from Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Assam. Cooking in a group is the cheapest way to eat — see cheap meals for hostel residents and the kitchen shopping list.

Expect heavy rain in the south-west monsoon, usually June to September, and humid heat the rest of the year. Buy an umbrella or raincoat in your first week; on building sites and in warehouses, use the safety gear you are given. Monsoon tips.

Language

Malayalam is the local language. Plenty of shopkeepers, supervisors and conductors in Kochi understand some Hindi now, but learning a handful of words — *ethra?* (how much?), *venda* (don’t want), *ivide nirthu* (stop here), *nanni* (thank you) — makes daily life smoother. Start with our 30 Malayalam phrases. A Hindi version of our hostel page is also available: कलमस्सेरी में पुरुषों के लिए हॉस्टल.

Where Ashraf Gents Hostel fits

Many guest workers live in rooms arranged by contractors. If you want your own arrangement, Ashraf Gents Hostel is a boys’ hostel and PG for students, staff and working men at Ashraf house, NAD Road, at the signal in Kalamassery. Its public profile lists the Adani port area, the Seaport–Airport Road, the Medical College and the Nippon skill centre among places within about 3 km.

Twin-sharing room with two cots and mattresses at Ashraf Gents Hostel, NAD Road, Kalamassery. See all photos

Photos show twin-sharing rooms with cots and mattresses, a kitchen with a sink and shelves, and a tiled bathroom — see the photos. The indicative rate is about ₹2,000–3,000 per head per month, negotiable, with one month’s advance; confirm the current charge on +91 90746 23855 and ask for a receipt. Food, Wi-Fi and gate timings are things to ask on the call. Because building owners have registration duties for guest workers, expect to be asked for your Aadhaar.

Frequently asked questions

Who registers a guest worker on the Athidhi portal?

Reports say employers, labour contractors and the owners of buildings where workers live are responsible. Ask your employer whether you are registered and note your number.

What does the Awaz scheme cover?

At launch it offered free treatment worth ₹15,000 a year at empanelled hospitals and ₹2 lakh for accidental death. Check the current benefits and card process with the Labour Office.

Where can I get cheap medical treatment in Kalamassery?

Government Medical College, Ernakulam is in Kalamassery, and Aluva has a District Hospital. Dial 112 in an emergency.

Can I stay at Ashraf Gents Hostel as a worker from another state?

The hostel is for students, staff and working men. Call +91 90746 23855 to check vacancies and the current rate, and carry your Aadhaar.

Sources

Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed 7 October 2026. How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.