Sky raise of construction & materials
The cost of major construction materials like cement, sand and bricks has witnessed 85 to 92 per cent increase during the last two years. The 50-kg cement bag, which was sold at Rs.135 in January 2006, was sold at Rs.250 per bag in January last, displaying a 85.19 per cent hike, with prices quoting at Rs.215 in Jan 2007, the Coimbatore Civil Engineers Association (CVEA) said.Price of local and chamber bricks, which was Rs.1.30 and Rs.1.66 per piece in
2006, had gone up to Rs.2.50 and Rs.3.20 in Jan 2008, witnessing an increase of
92 per cent in two years.
January 2007 prices were Rs.2.30 and Rs.3.02 respectively, CVE sources said. Sand, a major material for construction activity, has gone from Rs.11 per cft in 2006 to Rs.25 in 2008, an increase of 81.82 per cent. The 2007 price stood at Rs.16, they sai d. While steel prices have gone from Rs.26 a kg to Rs.42 in 2008, the steel angle prices rose from Rs.25 to Rs.38 per kg. Similarly the prices of Sal wood have gone up from Rs.700 cft to Rs.975, teak (2nd class) from 1,000 to Rs.1, 820 and first class t eak from Rs.2, 000 to Rs.3, 000 in two years, they said.Prices of steel fittings for windows and doors and pipefittings have gone up by 60 to 100 per cent, while one square MM coil prices have gone up Rs.260 to Rs.520.
