Administration pushes ‘crush sand’ for rural housing

Chandrapur: Faced with a severe shortage of legally available sand due to delays in auctioning sand ghats, the administration has started actively promoting the use of ‘crush sand' among beneficiaries of govt housing schemes.
With thousands of homes sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) and other schemes, the district administration is determined to ensure that eligible families can build their own houses without further delays.
However, the acute shortage of natural sand has become a major hurdle. Beneficiaries struggling to procure sand legally are now being encouraged to opt for crushed sand, a widely used alternative in urban areas that is both cost-effective and legally available.
Crush sand, a fine powder derived from crushing hard basalt rocks, is increasingly recognised as a superior alternative to river sand. Mixed with cement, gravel, and water, it forms durable concrete, suitable for constructing beams, columns, slabs, and brick masonry. Technical assessments suggest that it outperforms natural sand in several aspects, offering better strength and longevity.
Given its benefits, the district administration has initiated workshops for gram panchayat leaders and housing beneficiaries to familiarise them with the advantages of crush sand. Many are now opting for it as their primary construction material.
Chief executive officer, ZP, Vivek Johnson emphasised that the administration is committed to ensuring that beneficiaries do not suffer due to legal sand shortages. "We are actively promoting crush sand to expedite housing construction," he said.