Restore sand access for building needs

Gadwal: Despite being located along the Tungabhadra River, residents of Alampur constituency are facing significant difficulties in accessing sand for construction and repair works.

Villages like Alampur, Pullur, Maddur, and Dhanwada, which have sand reaches, are unable to procure even a handful of sand due to the lack of permissions. For the past six months, residents have been grappling with this situation.

Although the government’s “Mana Isuka” online system is operational, sand bookings for Alampur region remain inaccessible, leaving people in a fix. Contrarily, large-scale sand trans-portation continues to Gadwal town, with hundreds of tractors carrying sand daily from the Tungabhadra riverbanks at Maddur village in Manopadu mandal.

Residents express frustration over the discrimination, questioning why Gadwal receives unin-terrupted sand supply while Alampur’s villages are left out.

The unavailability of sand has stalled numerous private and government construction projects. Those seeking alternatives are forced to rely on intermediaries and black-market operators, often ending up with substandard sand at exorbitant prices, leading to financial losses.

Officials claim that sand permissions have been available online for the past three months, but villagers refute this, stating they have been unable to book sand for their needs. They are now demanding that authorities address the issue immediately, restore the online booking system for the Alampur constituency, and ensure equal access to sand for all regions.

Residents argue that granting permissions will not only resolve their issues but also benefit the government by generating more revenue. They urged officials to act and prevent further hard-ships.