CHENNAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on river sand quarries since September 12 have led to a sudden surge in the price of sand, leaving numerous construction projects across the state in a limbo.
In Chennai, the price has surged from Rs 7,000 per unit (100 cubic feet) to Rs 10,000, and worse, river sand has become nearly unavailable in the market. In some other markets such as Salem, Tiruchy and Namakkal, the price has shot up from Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000 per unit.
With several quarries being non-operational following the clampdown by the ED, the supply has dipped while demand has skyrocketed. According to a government order dated January 6, 2022, the basic cost of river sand was fixed at Rs 1,000 per unit, with additional cost for transportation and tolls.
S Rama Prabhu, a Chennai-based builder and former chairman of Builders Association of India, raised concerns about the dire shortage of river sand after the ED raids on sand quarries. The scarcity of sand is obstructing several projects. Rama Prabhu urged the state government to address this critical issue and take steps to streamline the sale of sand. “Some desperate customers are even willing to shell out up to Rs 10,000 to expedite their construction, but the scarcity of sand has significantly slowed down the work. Besides, many construction labourers struggle to get job opportunities at present,” a construction worker from Namakkal told TNIE.
As the situation worsens, many construction projects in districts, including Erode, Karur, Salem, and Tiruchy have resorted to using manufactured sand (M-sand). However, even the price of M-sand has surged from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000 per unit. S Yuvaraj, president of Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners’ Association, said the government is providing only 50 to 60 loads of river sand per day despite the high demand.
‘Fresh sand quarry tenders expected in coming days’
“Additionally, the TN sand website is open for just five to 10 minutes, resulting in hundreds of lorries waiting for three to four days to secure their sand supply,” he said. Given the shortage of contractors in sand quarries, the government must take the initiative to issue tenders for these vital operations, he added.
A senior WRD official said, “Out of the 15 quarries in Tiruchy and Chennai, only five are functional. These quarries are only delivering sand that has already been stockpiled through online bookings, as the extraction of sand from rivers has been halted.”
The ED’s seizure of essential equipment has left the department grappling to move forward. Nevertheless, discussions are ongoing with the state government, and fresh tenders for sand quarries are expected to be floated in the coming days, the official added.