Nagpur: Despite tall claims by the Maharashtra Government about curbing illegal sand mining and bringing transparency to the system, the situation on the ground paints a grim picture. Sand prices in Nagpur have surged to an unprecedented Rs 105-Rs 120 per cubic feet (CFT), the highest ever recorded in the city’s construction market.
In just three months, rates have nearly tripled, from Rs 40 per CFT in July to over Rs 100 in the first week of October, throwing the construction industry into chaos. Builders, developers, and even individual homebuilders are reeling under the impact, as the sudden escalation has made sand unaffordable for most projects. The Nagpur market, which had never crossed Rs 75 per CFT, is now witnessing an all-time high.
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Sources from the construction supply chain revealed that most sand ghats in Nagpur district and neighbouring regions are either closed or operating far below capacity, causing a massive supply crunch. The shortfall has led to what insiders describe as an “artificial scarcity” engineered by an unholy nexus between political figures and the sand mafia, who are allegedly manipulating the supply to inflate prices.
A sand supplier, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed that supply has plunged by nearly 70%. “Generally, sand ghats resume operations by September or October after the monsoon. But this year, extended rainfall and political interference have allowed the sand mafia to create an unprecedented shortage,” he alleged.
The crisis has hit the construction sector hard, particularly during the pre-Diwali season, which is typically the busiest period for completing ongoing projects. Former President of CREDAI Nagpur Metro, Vijay Dargan, sounded the alarm over the industry’s plight.
“Many construction sites have come to a complete standstill. Builders simply cannot afford sand at these exorbitant rates. The work has halted, and if this continues, the overall cost of construction and housing, even in affordable segments, will shoot up significantly,” Dargan said while talking to local media.
The spiralling sand prices are not only jeopardizing ongoing housing and infrastructure projects but also threatening to derail affordable housing schemes meant for the middle and lower-income groups.
Market experts warn that even if supply resumes, prices are unlikely to fall below Rs 70 per CFT, hinting at a long-term impact on construction costs.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule recently announced stringent measures to clamp down on illegal sand mining. He declared that violators will face criminal prosecution in addition to hefty fines, under a new unified resolution issued jointly by the Home and Revenue Departments. The move aims to plug the loopholes that earlier allowed offenders to escape with nominal penalties.
However, on the ground, the government’s assurances seem far removed from reality. As the construction sector gasps under record-high prices and stalled projects, the sand mafia’s stranglehold over supply continues unchecked, leaving Nagpur’s builders, and its citizens, paying the price.
