Chennai: The Public Works Department (PWD) is planning to open two more sand depots to meet the sand scarcity. Builders and lorry owners say that the existing sand quarries in the state are not enough and demand the government to open more number of quarries.
According to officials, the price of river sand still remains at Rs 12,000 per unit, while cost of M-sand is Rs 6,000. Moreover, the government, which assured of opening many sand quarries failed to do so and builders and lorry owners suffer a lot due to sand scarcity.
S. Yuvaraj, president of state lorry owner federation, alleged that sand at large quantity is illegally transported from various rivers with political involvement. “There are only two quarries functioning in the state. Under such circumstance, the lorry owners who registered online to load sand are being denied to transport sand,” he said and added that the government remained tight-lipped even after it promised to open more sand quarries across the state.
Similarly, S Ramaprabhu, vice-president of Southern Builders’ Association of India, said that there is a considerable growth in the construction industry or the last three moths. “If the government is opening more quarries across the state, it will still boost the industry and price of sand will also decline,” he said and added that the government should turn its focus on importing river sand.
“Not even a single load of sand from abroad has reached and there is still a delay in tendering process,” Ramaprabhu noted.
When contacted, a special officer (PWD) said “measures are underway to open two more sand depots soon and we will soon identify places.”
When asked about delay in importing river sand from abroad, “bidding process will come to an end soon, after which river sand will be imported.”
