Trump’s ₹47 lakh crore Texas Data Center push:Race against China; 8,000 workers at risk due to safety negligence at site

The world’s AI race is no longer just a battle between tech companies and superpower nations. Workers laboring at construction sites are also paying the price for it. The Stargate Data Center being built in Abilene, Texas, USA, is a mega AI infrastructure project worth $500 billion (47.18 lakh crore rupees). Giants like OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank are building it together. President Donald Trump has already called it a major bet on America’s AI power. The goal is to leave China behind in the AI race. But Time’s ground investigation shows another picture of this glittering project. According to the report, in this blind race for rapid construction, the lives and safety of workers are being completely ignored. There have been several accidents with 8,000 workers at the project site. According to OSHA records, in 2025 many workers suffered leg fractures. One worker was crushed under an excavator. One fell from a ladder. A 1,400-pound glass panel fell on one worker. One worker was found dead in a porta-potty. Since December 2024, 14 emergency calls to 911 have been recorded from the site. These included injuries, heat stroke, dehydration, and medical emergencies like heart attacks. Lawsuits are ongoing in court against two contractor companies working on this project. Revelation from ground zero: Workers were denied even water and fans, calling them ‘luxury’ Workers described the conditions inside the site as quite difficult. An electrician alleged that even in Texas’s intense heat, drinking water is not easily available at the site. Workers were told that cold water is a ‘luxury’, not a right. Fans were also taken away. According to a worker, written warnings were given for spending too much time at cooling stations. One employee said that many have even had panic attacks. Basic facilities are not being provided to maintain the speed of construction. Understand from 3 cases: How rules were overlooked in the rush? Case 1 – Truck driver Daniel Gonzalez was unloading a concrete box containing electrical equipment. Communication was weak due to noise, there were no walkie-talkies. Just then, a chain thrown from above hit his head. He became unconscious. He has filed a lawsuit. Case 2 – On May 23, 2025, a worker was guiding a mini excavator. Due to lack of necessary safety measures, he got trapped under the track. He suffered fractures in his ankle and spine. OSHA Records organization found that the worker had not been given training. Case 3 – An employee was removing glass panels. Then three panels weighing 650 kg fell on his leg. His thigh bone broke and he had to undergo several surgeries. The investigation concluded that the employee was under pressure to finish the work quickly. Confidentiality agreements so that workers don’t complain Many workers spoke while hiding their identity, because they were made to sign confidentiality agreements. The allegation is that such agreements are preventing the actual situation of the site from coming to light. They fear that speaking openly could cost them their job or create difficulties in getting work in the future. Stargate – America’s biggest weapon in the AI race Stargate is America’s mega AI infrastructure project. This is not an ordinary data center, but part of a vast computing network necessary for running and training AI models. Names like OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank are associated with it. Its goal is to develop capabilities to stay ahead of China. Must win the race, project needs to be built quickly – Trump American President Trump has already described Stargate as a major part of AI strategy. It was announced with OpenAI’s Sam, Oracle’s Larry, and SoftBank’s Son. Trump had said that the race must be won, it needs to be built quickly. ​