River sand import: PWD to fix price by next week

To ease the shortage of sand and boost the real estate sector, the government had announced that river sand will be imported from abroad earlier this year. Even though tenders were floated, the officials were floundering to find qualified bidders. However, they completed the process recently. 

“Unlike local rules, importing sand from abroad is a difficult task. We cannot easily get a bidder and there should be a proper technical evaluation,” said a PWD official (sand mining), on conditions of anonymity. Technical evaluations would include bidders’ fit to import sand and paying capacity, he added. 

Meanwhile, builders urged the officials fast-track the process. P Gopalan, president of Tamil Nadu Construction Association said, “Even as the government announced that many quarries will be opened and sand will be imported, the initiative is yet to take off. 

Moreover, shortage of sand has not been compensated.” Considering the need, PWD should open more sand depots across the state. It has opened only two depots so far, he added. When contacted, a special officer (sand mining wing) said: “All the procedural things are at the final stage and we will finish everything by next week.” 

The shortage and cost of sand will steadily decline in the coming days after the import, he added.