HYDERABAD: One of the essential building components ‘ready mix concrete’ (RMC), which is mainly used in laying on slabs and CC roads has turned costly with its prices increasing by Rs 300 per cubic meter.RMC is used in construction projects where the construction site is not willing, or is unable, to mix concrete on site.
It is specifically manufactured for customers’ construction projects, and supplied to the customer on site as a single product. It is a mixture of portland or other cements, water and aggregates, sand, gravel or crushed stone.
RMC plants combine a precise amount of gravel, sand, water and cement by weight as per a mix design formulation for the grade of concrete recommended by the structural engineer or architect, allowing specialty concrete mixtures to be developed and implemented on construction sites.
According to Telangana Ready Mix Concrete Manufacturers Federation (TGRMCMF), the prices in the construction industry for the raw material like cement, aggregates, diesel and others have been increasing frequently, forcing them to hike the RMC rates.
Mohan Reddy, president, TGRMCMF said “We don’t have an option except to increase our prices as raw material prices are increasing day by day. Earlier, M20 grade RMC preferably used in residential slabs used to cost Rs 4,300 to Rs 4,400 per cubic meter and now it has gone up to Rs 4,600 to Rs 4,700 per cubic meter,” he said.
There are over 100 RMC plants that cater to Hyderabad alone. For a 1,000 sq.ft slab, it requires 14 cubic meters of ready mix concrete. Each cubic meter uses a minimum of 210 kg of cement.