Chandigarh: Amid a ban on private mining of construction materials in Punjab, the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has decided to start home delivery of sand and gravel for people to keep rates in check. Due to the ban on mining, the non-availability of sand and gravel across the state has caused a delay in the construction works of many businesses affected by the ban.
Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains recently fixed the transportation rates of the construction material, assuring the people that they will get sand at a cheap price. Speaking to the media, Bains also assured the people about the facility of home delivery of sand and gravel in the coming days. He also said that officials of the administration, engineers and some officers of Axis Bank are working on an app for the home delivery of sand.
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He said the price of sand and the cost of transport will also be available through the app, which will be launched soon. The Cabinet Minister said they have done “everything we could to stop the black marketing of sand” including the opening of Government sales centres for selling sand and gravel. He said the rates of sand have been reduced by four times because of the sale centres.
Bains said that from November 1 to November 10, a tipper-load of sand sold for Rs 15000-16000 resulted in an income of Rs 25 crore to the government. He however said that the High Court's ban on private mining is a challenge before the government. The next hearing regarding the matter in the High Court is scheduled on January 4, 2023.
The Punjab government on Monday opened its first sales centre in Mohali having 2 lakh metric tonnes capacity and availability of sand and gravel priced at Rs 28 per cubic feet for selling sand and gravel to people at government rates.
