Adilabad: Corona continues to haunt construction industry

Adilabad: Even after relaxation was given to construction industry during lockdown imposed due to Covid-19, the construction of many houses and buildings was not started due to a 10% increase in construction cost. After the lockdown relaxation, there was a steep rise in cost of construction material. Individuals and building contractors were afraid to buy construction material. Most of them are postponing construction works.

Due to the lockdown, all transportations and industry works were ceased, thus increasing rates of every item in the market. Compared to March, there is a 10% increase of market prices of materials like cement, sand, concrete, iron, sanitary items and other related items in May.

Cement rate was increased from Rs 320 to Rs 400 per bag; sand rate was increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per tractor; concrete rate increased from Rs 4,500 to Rs 4,800 per tractor; and iron rate increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500 per quintal. Construction industry needs more manpower and due to lockdown, all the labourers returned to their native places and a severe shortage of skilled and unskilled laborers is haunting the industry.

Also, labor charges were increased from Rs 750 to Rs 850. Speaking with The Hans India, Government Junior College lecturer Rachakonda Uday Bhaskar said that he took up house construction one and half year ago and now stopped the construction due to the hike in prices of construction material and labour charges.

A builder Soyal Ahamed said they are facing problems in continuing the construction works due to heavy increase in the rates of construction material and severe shortage of construction labourers like POP, tiles, plumbers. The problems will continue till the situation comes to normal, he observed.