Shortage of quality sand hits construction industry

The acute shortage of quality sand has hit the construction industry badly, resulting in spiraling sand prices.

Sample this: The 800 CFT river sand (Kollegal) that was available for Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 in 2008-10 is no more available in the market. The best river sand comes from Harihar near Davangere and is sold at Rs 1.25 lakh per truckload.

Dhananjay, a sand transporter, said: “The best sand coming from Davangere is used only to give final touch to the building. It is sold at Rs 1.25 lakh per truckload of 600 CFT. Another good sand is the one coming from near Mangaluru. The transportation charges of these two good quality sand itself is somewhere around Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,000 per truckload.”

Another sand transporter, Manjunath said river sand transportation has become too risky a business in the current scenario. “We are harassed by the policemen and other government officers for transporting sand. I am so upset with the harassment that I have stationed my truck for the last two months. I can even sell it off if the situation persists,” said Manjunath.

Manufactured sand

According to T Rajesh, a sand transporter, most people today prefer manufactured sand, which is very cheap and as strong as good quality river sand. “The problem today is that manufactured sand has not yet won the confidence of people at large, although it is as good as river sand,” said Rajesh.

According to him, manufactured sand is sold at Rs 50 per CFT and even the big builders of the City have switched over to manufactured sand.

A prominent builder said there is a shortage of sand but not to the level of panic. The construction activities in the City has increased in the last six months for various reasons, which might have increased the demand, the builder said.