MANGALURU: As the monsoon season approaches, construction activities are expected to face delays, leading builders and contractors to rush for sand. This shortage has driven construction costs up significantly, with the price of a standard house rising by around ₹2.25 lakh.
Four years after sand mining was restricted in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas, contractors are finding it increasingly difficult to stay within budget on their projects.
Satish Jogi, vice-president of the Civil Contractors Association, noted during a press conference on Friday that the sand scarcity has persisted for the past three to four years, primarily due to the ongoing ban on sand mining in CRZ areas. Ujwal D’Souza, former chairman of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (India), Mangaluru Centre, stated that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has yet to approve the resumption of sand mining in these regions.
This situation has led to a more than threefold increase in construction costs. D’Souza highlighted that sand previously priced at ₹20 per cubic foot from CRZ areas is now being sourced from non-CRZ regions for ₹70 per cubic foot. Contractors also indicated that sand from non-CRZ areas, such as Adyar, Uppinangady, and Puttur, is coarser and unsuitable for construction, resulting in nearly 50% wastage. The fine-quality sand sourced from river mouths, typically found in CRZ areas, is sought after for its superior binding properties.
Surge in Sand Prices
Mahabala Kottary, president of the Civil Contractors Association in Mangaluru, stated that the halt in CRZ sand mining has led to skyrocketing prices in the market driven by illegal sources. For urgent needs, contractors are turning to suppliers in Kundapur (Udupi) and Kerala, where one load (300 cubic feet) costs between ₹24,000 and ₹25,000. This represents a dramatic increase from the ₹6,000 to ₹8,000 that would have been charged for CRZ sand.
Kottary explained that a standard 2,500 sq ft house requires about 15 loads of sand. With an average price increase of ₹15,000 per load (from ₹6,000 to ₹21,000), overall costs have risen by ₹2.25 lakh.
Additionally, Kottary mentioned that the SandBazaar app, designed for ordering sand from non-CRZ regions, is no longer operational. “We’re hesitant to invest as we neither receive sand nor refunds. Approximately 40% of construction costs are attributed to taxes,” he noted.
Moreover, contractors pointed out that the M-sand, derived from crushed stones, is often mixed with dust, as opposed to the double-washed sand available in Bengaluru and Mysuru. The supply of quality M-sand is also lacking, meeting only about 40% of the demand.
