Brick prices rocket due to shortage in supply

COIMBATORE: The prices of clay and fly ash bricks have increased by Rs 4 to Rs 5 in the last month. Members from the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) attributed this to a shortage in the supply of clay bricks. 

Speaking to The New Indian Express, the secretary of CREDAI, Tamil Nadu, D Abishek reasoned that closure of over 200 brick kilns in Thadagam Valley, following a court order, could have caused the shortage in clay brick supply.

"Now, clay brick rates have increased from Rs 6- Rs7 per brick to Rs 11-Rs 12. This has also impacted the price of fly ash bricks, which were earlier sold for Rs 6 but now cost Rs 10 per piece,” he said.

Abishek added that there has been a huge increase in brick-making costs due to a spike in the cost of raw materials, which, in turn, has made construction works more expensive.

Seconding Abishek, President of All India Trade Union Congress, an employees union affiliated to CPI, N Selvaraj said that the price of a load of 4,500 clay bricks has jumped from Rs 35,000 to Rs 58,000. He condemned brick kiln operators for reaping benefits from a scenario in which not many units are functioning. 

The high project cost and the resultant stagnation has affected the livelihood of thousands of labourers in the construction sector, Selvaraj claimed, urging the State government to intervene and keep the brick prices in check.

Meanwhile, brick kilns in Thondamuthur are doing brisk business. A brick kiln operator from Kuppanur village, S Sadhasivam, said that they had started receiving more orders due to the closure of units in Thadagam Valley. He added that they were selling a brick for Rs 11 in the past few days.