Real estate sector sluggish, no hike in cement price

Ambika Sharma

Solan, September 6

Notwithstanding the hike in the price of cement in several states, no immediate hike has been announced by the Adani Cement in Himachal.

The group has three cement plants in the state at Barmana, Suli in Darlaghat and at Nalagarh. With the monsoon having caused colossal loss to infrastructure in the state, the real estate sector is yet to pick pace. The demand for cement has not normalised after the monsoon as immense losses have been suffered both in the public and private sector.

Cement sales usually remain lean in the monsoon and the production is scaled down in view of the reduced demand by the manufacturing plants.

“With no significant surge in demand, the Adani cement plants were barely operating at 50 per cent of their capacities as against about 60 to 65 per cent capacities operational before the monsoon,” informed a plant official.

The ACC plant was manufacturing 5,500 metric tonnes per day (MTPD) while the Ambuja cement plants at Suli and Nalagarh were producing 2,600 MTPD each.

“No hike in the rate of cement was being effected in the state now in view of the large-scale natural damage which has hit the state hard,” a company spokesman said.

This has come as a sigh of relief to the residents as colossal loss has been caused to the state and people were still reeling under the impact of the devastation.

“Construction activity was gradually picking up as dry weather conditions were prevailing in the state for the last about a week,” said a builder Anil Kumar.

Stringent conditions imposed on the construction activity like restricting the number of storeys as well as restriction on hill cutting will further hit cement sales. Earlier, builders constructed several storeys in the rural areas where there were no restrictions, said Kumar.

The neighbouring states have, however, increased the cement price and the people were anticipating some hike in the rates in Himachal too.

Sigh of relief for residents

• The Adani group has three cement plants in the state at Barmana, Suli in Darlaghat and at Nalagarh. With the monsoon having caused colossal loss to infrastructure in the state, the real estate sector is yet to pick pace.
• “No hike in the rate of cement was being effected in the state now in view of the large-scale natural damage,” a company spokesman said.
• This has come as a sigh of relief to the residents as colossal loss has been caused to the state and people were still reeling under the impact of the devastation.