Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday announced that the transportation of excavated sand will be allowed for 24 hours after taking a valid transport permit.

The minister, in his statement in the state Assembly, said that at present, the sand excavation is permitted from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and transportation of excavated sand is allowed after 6 p.m. for those who have taken a valid transport permit. The sand transportation is not allowed in some cities in the wake of heavy traffic. The demand for sand is rapidly increasing to complete various development projects. But, the use of available vehicles for transporting the excavated sand was not taking place fully due to the curbs on sand transportation after 6 p.m.

He told the Assembly that such curbs are not applicable for the sand transported from other states, as they are allowed 24-hour transportation based on a zero royalty pass. “As the sand transportation is not permitted between 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., the use of sand in the state is not done fully. Therefore, the government, in a bid to promote maximum use of the stock of sand excavated from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., has decided to allow 24-hour transportation by procuring a valid permit adhering to certain conditions. The government is providing a facility for procuring a valid permit that will be available for 24 hours,” he said.

Minister Bawankule said that geo-fencing will be done on excavated sand and its stocks, while the installation of CCTVs and GPS Services in vehicles deployed for the transportation of excavated sand under various conditions laid down by the government will also be executed.

The Minister’s announcement is important as the state Sand Policy 2025 does not explicitly mention allowing or regulating 24-hour sand transportation.

Transportation is governed by permits and e-passes issued through an online portal, primarily managed by tehsildars for legal distribution. Local gram panchayats and municipal councils can access sand at royalty rates for construction, but no reference to round-the-clock operations exists in the provided data.

Further, the minister assured the opposition that the government is prepared for discussion on the recently announced new sand policy.

The policy focuses on regulating sand excavation, distribution, and transportation to curb illegal activities and ensure a sustainable supply. It includes e-auctions for sand clusters, promotion of M-Sand (artificial sand), and free sand (up to 5 bags) for rural housing beneficiaries under the Gharkul scheme.

Minister Bawankule said that in order to reduce reliance on river sand, the policy promotes M-Sand (manufactured sand), with 50 crusher units authorised per district and mandatory use in government projects (20 per cent initially, increasing to 100 per cent over three years). This indirectly impacts transportation by shifting focus to locally produced artificial sand, potentially reducing transport logistics.

–IANS

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