Sand prices shoot 500%; your dream home to cost more

The construction industry is on the brink of being badly hit with the lorry strike entering its eighth day today. The strike has not just affected the ongoing construction but could also force you to pay more for your booked flats in ongoing residential building projects.
That is because the strike, in protest against the state government not allowing permits to ferry sand, has pushed up sand cost from Rs12,000-Rs15,000 per truckload to a whopping Rs55,000-Rs60,000.

Manandi Suresh, former vice-president, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), has predicted that with the strike going on for so many days, even a quick end to it now could take more time for the situation to normalise. “It will take at least 10-15 days for things to come back to normal. Moreover, considering that the increase in price is so much, it is only going to affect the prices of finished products.” 

A similar strike in December 2010, too, had pushed up the price of sand only by a few thousands. V Krishnamurthy, Organising Secretary of the Karnataka State Land Developer’s Association, explained why: “The demand for sand is much more now than it was then. The government has more ongoing projects than before. With this strike, everything is going to be hit.”

He further said, “Even those who are willing to shell out that kind of money are unable to get it. Even builders who have already committed to works are trying to get sand illegally.”

The strike is the fallout of stricter monitoring by the state government of sand excavation, which was required considering that poor quality of sand was being used in construction.
Despite the increase in price of sand that is being smuggled in, he said, “None of it is of good quality that should be used in construction works but extremely poor quality filter sand, which should not be used in construction works.”

On reports that temporary permits were issued to the lorry owners which was rejected on the grounds that the government was trying to buy time, Principal Secretary to Transport Department, MK Shankarlinge Gowda, told DNA, “Since they (the protestors) are unwilling to negotiate we cannot do anything. We are trying our best to meet their demands and ensure that sand is brought into the city. At present, temporary permits have been given to district commissioners at Chithradurga and Davangere from where sand will be brought in.“

But GR Shanmugappa, president, Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners and Agents Association, said there has been no communication from the government whatsoever. “We had a meeting with the principal secretary (Shankarlinge Gowda) and we have given him two days’ time to assess the situation and come up with a solution. There has been no communication from the state government with regard to the permits,” he said.