The State government has revived online booking of sand after a gap of about two years.
To enable the booking, the Water Resources Department has rebuilt the online portal www.tnsand.in by incorporating additional provisions so as to make it easier for consumers and builders to buy sand for construction purposes. Separate provisions have been made for the general public and lorry owners to book sand on the portal.
According to sources, those who intend to buy sand will have to register details of the vehicles, registration numbers, year of make, mobile number, among other data. They will have to select the district, depots and quarries where they want to load sand. Upon completing the process, the transport owners will get confirmation email and messages and the probable date, time and place of loading sand.
Similarly, the public, who require sand for construction of houses or commercial buildings, can also book sand online. They will have to provide details such as plan approval or engineer approval. Once the consumers complete the process, they will be sent an email or messages on date, time and sand depot for loading sand.
The consumers can also download TNSand App, which is available on Google Play. The noble version too has many features, enabling the people to book sand online.
A senior official of the Water Resources Department told The Hindu that the regulated online sale of sand would avert the need for lorry drivers to wait for long for their turn at the depots. It was enough for them to visit the selected depots one or two hours before the probable timing of loading. As per the serial number, the vehicles would be loaded with sand. It would enable the general public to procure sand without any hitch and at low prices.
In Tiruchi, the sand quarries had been reopened at Thalakudi and Madhavaperumalkoil on the banks of the Kollidam after a gap of about two years. They would serve exclusively for bullock carts. They would also have to book sand online. Arrangements had been made for round-the-clock monitoring of sand quarrying and loading sand at the deports. The entire proceedings could be monitored live at the control room in Chennai, the official said and added that a sand quarry for the lorries would be opened at Manalmelkudi in Pudukottai district next week.
