Tamil Nadu has 60 M - Sand plants: Use Picking Up in Coimbatore Region.

M - Sand - Manufactured sand is increasingly used in construction activities in  Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) region, especially since the building sector continues to face shortage in availability of river sand.

The Kovai region has many M - Sand plants &  builders / promoters have started using it for lining, plain concrete work, etc.

60 M - Sand plants..!

Mr. R. Krishnasamy, President, BAI (Builders’ Association of India) Coimbatore Chapter said, ''Though there is no severe shortage in availability of river sand, it takes 3 days to get a load of river sand. Construction activities came down in Coimbatore during the past 3 to 4 months by about 25%, mainly because of high cost of steel & cement. It can take another 3 months to revive. New projects have slowed down & only the existing ones continue. So the demand for sand has also declined"

However, the use of M - sand in the on-going projects is picking up.

Tamil Nadu has 60 M - Sand plants &  this includes 5 in Coimbatore, apart from a large number of small - scale uints. M - Sand is also increasingly used by ready mix concrete manufacturers along with river sand.

Quality Parameters..!

One of the PWD (Public Works Department) officer said, ''With shortage in availability of river sand, it has started using M - Sand for a canal lining project in Udumalpet. M - sand availability is not a problem in the region, and it met the quality parameters of the department.If availability of river sand remains a problem, then use of M-Sand will go up so that there is no delay in the progress of the projects."

It is used in all construction activities except RCC work.

75% of the Price of River Sand..!

Mr. C.T. Narayanan, President, Coimbatore Builders’ and Contractors’ Association, said, ''The M - Sand cost is almost 75% of the price of river sand. The quality of manufactured sand should go up & efforts should be taken to standardise the quality. The demand has increased during the past 2 years and is likely to go up in the future."

 The Tamil Nadu Government should take measures to ensure its quality & awareness among the public should improve so that its usage increases.

Src: BL 

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