Civil engineers urge State government to take control of quarries

Mettupalayam Civil Engineers’ Association urges government to control quarry prices to stabilize construction material costs.

The members of the Mettupalayam Civil Engineers’ Association submitted a petition to the Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar on Monday, urging the State government to take control of quarries. The association expressed concern over the continuous rise in prices of construction materials such as m sand, p sand, and blue metal.

They stated that in the last year-and-a-half, m sand, p sand, and blue metal prices have increased by up to ₹3000 per unit. These price hikes are severely affecting the construction industry, impacting builders, contractors, engineers, workers and government housing projects.

The association called for the State government to regulate quarry prices, suggesting that nationalising the quarries would help maintain reasonable rates and generate revenue for the government. They also urged the reopening of river sand quarries and requested the inclusion of construction materials such as cement and steel in the list of essential commodities to control prices.