Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, July 9: Despite Governments announcing unlock 2.0 to give impetus to the construction works across the Valley, people are reluctant to resume or take up construction works due to a huge spike in the cost of construction material.
The worst sufferers are the contractors who have been allotted different developmental works as the costs have escalated three fold. The contractors stare at heavy losses as the cost escalation has come as a double whammy for them. “Works are suspended since 5th August and that has created havoc in our fraternity. Now that work has resumed we are hit by this cost escalation on raw material,” Nazir Ahmad, a contractor said.
The disgruntled contractors explained that a sudden spike in the cost of raw material required for the construction of bridges, roads, and buildings has cast a shadow on their completion. “We are the bidders and our rates are as per the previous government schedule. We have received contracts after offering government the lowest possible rates. How can we do the same work when costs of raw material has almost tripled,” another contractor said, adding the reasons behind this spike in rates is the ban on the raw material and “royalty issues being created by the administration”.
As per contractors, a truckload of sand which was being sold at Rs 5500 prior to the pandemic, costs around Rs 16000. Similarly, the cost of a truckload of stones increased from 3000 to 6000. The cost of bricks has also increased from 18000 to 32, 000.
Not only are the contractors are facing problems, the locals too are bearing the brunt of skyrocketing prices. “There has been a 50-60 percent increase in the construction material like sand and bricks and we are unable to bear this cost in the present situation,” Mohammad Amin, a local said. He added that the cost escalation can be judged by the fact that a truckload of stones which he bought at Rs 3000 is being sold around Rs 800 now.
In 2015, the J&K administration had fixed rates of A-grade bricks with a standard size of 9x4x3 inch at Rs 18,000 per 3,000 bricks, including costs of loading and unloading. Transportation charges were excluded. Both the residents and the contractors demanded the administration to intervene into the matter.
Follow our WhatsApp channel