Sand has a say too
|
Not just cement or steel; sand price spiral is something to reckon with
|
If the prices of cement and steel keep going up and up, will that of sand be left behind?
Adding to the woes of construction industry and punching some more holes into the dreams of a home for many, now the sand prices in the city have gone up. A truckload which till recently was available for Rs.5,500 now comes at Rs.6,000. About ten tonnes of sand is what makes for a truckload.
The price rise comes after a series of incremental growths in last few months. The demand for sand supplies has going up steadily in the wake of construction boom happening across the city and suburbs.
Most of the sand supplies are met from Karimnagar and Vijayawada with truckers taking loads there and driving all night to reach the city in the wee hours.
Scores of sand-laden lorries enter the city every morning and park the load at different supply points. From here, the orders are booked and then the vehicles are driven for unloading at the site after 8 p.m. given the traffic restrictions imposed in the city limits.
The suppliers talk of a shortage of sand availability of late. This is attributed to the limited supplies that are arriving from Vijayawada, owing to the closure of several rivulets, some due to filling up by rain water with the onset of monsoon and in few cases due to expiration of sand mining contracte. As a result, sand is being mainly brought from Karimnagar district.
Sand miners also blame the recent hike in diesel prices for the spurt in prices. Good quality sand is ferried from Kanchikacherla and Nandigama near Vijayawada which is a good 282 kms from the city. With the increase in diesel prices by Rs.3.29, suppliers will have to incur an additional expenditure of Rs.927.78 which, they say, justifies the price increase.
YOGENDRA KALAVALAPALLI
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Property Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Hyderabad
Kochi
Malabar
Thiruvananthapuram
