Has the Maha government allowed 24-hour transportation of excavated sand with a valid permit?

Mumbai, July 3 (NationPress) The Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule declared on Thursday that the transportation of excavated sand will now be permitted around the clock upon obtaining a valid transport permit. In his remarks during the state Assembly session, he pointed out that currently, sand excavation is authorized from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., with transportation allowed post 6 p.m. only for those holding valid permits. Due to heavy traffic concerns, some cities have restrictions on sand transportation. The escalating demand for sand to facilitate various development projects has been noted, yet the utilization of available vehicles for transporting excavated sand has not been fully realized due to the limitations imposed after 6 p.m.

Minister Bawankule informed the Assembly that these restrictions do not apply to sand transported from other states, which can be moved at any time with a zero royalty pass. He stated, "Since sand transportation is not allowed from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., the full utilization of sand within the state has not been achieved. Therefore, to maximize the use of sand excavated from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., the government has decided to allow 24-hour transportation with a valid permit, adhering to specified conditions. A facility for obtaining this permit will be available at all hours."

Additionally, the minister indicated that geo-fencing would be implemented on excavated sand and its reserves, along with the installation of CCTVs and GPS services in the vehicles used for sand transportation, in compliance with the government's regulations.

This announcement is significant as the state’s Sand Policy 2025 does not explicitly cover the allowance or regulation of 24-hour sand transportation.

Permit and e-pass issuance for transportation is conducted through an online portal primarily overseen by tehsildars for legal distribution. Local gram panchayats and municipal councils can acquire sand at royalty rates for construction purposes, although there are no provisions mentioned for continuous operations in the available data.

Moreover, the minister reassured the opposition that the government is open to dialogue regarding the newly introduced sand policy.

This policy aims to regulate sand excavation, distribution, and transportation to mitigate illegal practices and ensure a sustainable supply. It includes e-auctions for sand clusters, promotion of M-Sand (artificial sand), and the provision of free sand (up to 5 bags) for rural housing beneficiaries under the Gharkul scheme.

Minister Bawankule emphasized that to decrease dependence on river sand, the policy encourages the use of M-Sand, authorizing 50 crusher units per district and mandating its use in government projects (initially 20%, escalating to 100% over three years). This shift indirectly influences transportation by prioritizing locally produced artificial sand, potentially reducing logistics costs.