MSIL is planning to sell sand imported from Malaysia online at an affordable cost of `4,000 per tonne
BENGALURU: There’s good news for the construction industry and for those who are building their own houses. Soon, buying sand will be just a mouse click away. The Mysuru Sales International Ltd (MSIL) is planning to sell sand imported from Malaysia online at an affordable cost of Rs 4,000 per tonne as compared to double the price for riverbed sand mined in the state, which also involves the sand mafia.
D P Mahaveer Kumar, General Manager (Import & Export), MSIL, told TNIE they will introduce online booking for sand soon. In the initial stages, public as well as builders will be able to book online though they will have to go to any of the MSIL yards closest to their location to pick up the sandbags (50 kg each). “Once the system is stabilised, we will take up doorstep deliveries,’’ he said.
The first few consignments of sand (around 1.5 lakh tonnes) have arrived from Malaysia at Krishnapattam Port in AP and has been supplied to various MSIL yards located in Channasandra in Bengaluru Urban, Bidadi in Ramanagara district, Doddaballapur in Bengaluru Rural, Kyathasandra of Tumakuru district and other places. It requires four to six sailing days from Malaysia to Krishnapattam Port. At the port, the sand is packaged and is sent by rail to Bengaluru (Bidadi).
Kumar said there is demand for Malaysian sand, which is said to be one of the finest quality sand in the world. “It is available in 50-kg bags and sold for Rs 4,000 per tonne (including GST), whereas river sand is sold for double the amount,’’ he said. At present, people are booking sand through registered agents and also from MSIL yards. “If they book today, same day delivery can be made. We have overcome sand scarcity,’’ he added.
Last year, the state government decided to import sand from other countries and called for global tenders. The bid was won by Malaysia, which has now signed a MoU with the state government to supply 3 lakh tonnes of sand per month for five years.
Official sources in MSIL said one of the biggest hindrances for sand delivery was transportation. “Now that we are getting it by rail and in-house lorries from railway stations to MSIL yards, private truckers will have a minimal role to play,” a senior MSIL official said.
