The pandemic-induced spike in prices of essential construction materials and the shortage of stock with wholesale traders have emerged as a challenge for many small and large-scale construction projects in Kozhikode district. Many housing projects, which were resumed after the first wave of the pandemic, are likely to come to a standstill again owing to the new crisis.
Contractors of small-scale housing projects pointed out that the price hike had come at a time when many projects were already pending because of the shortage of labourers.
Functionaries of the Confederation of Construction Industry (CCI) said the price of cement manufactured by a leading company had already increased from ₹390 to ₹460 in the State. Same is the case with steel products with a straight increase of ₹15 a kg, they added.
According to Subair Kolakkadan, chairman, CCI, the State government is seemingly ignoring the confederation’s call for the formation of a regulatory board to monitor and control the prices of construction materials in the market.
The alleged laxity on the part of a public sector cement manufacturer in making proper market intervention also led to the situation, he says.
Meanwhile, some of the wholesale dealers in the city say prices of some of the essential raw materials were increased by manufacturers citing the high transportation cost in the wake of COVID-19 related regulations.
Leading dealers in the city also point out that the situation was almost the same during the first wave of the pandemic.
According to them, the cost would increase again with the intensified regulations on vehicular movement and functioning of shops.
The shipping cost had already been hiked by many private operators citing operational hurdles and shortage of labourers, they say.
