Crushed stone prices rise amid plant closure

HARIPUR:

The shutdown of multiple crushing plants in Hazara, following directives from the Supreme Court, has led to a sharp rise in the price of crushed stone, causing widespread concern among suppliers and ordinary citizens.

According to sources, stone crusher owners, in collaboration with leaseholders, have reduced plant operations, creating an artificial shortage of crushed stone supplies, which has resulted in inflated prices. This drastic increase has severely impacted ordinary citizens.

Suppliers such as Shaukat Mahmood, Arif Khan, Tauqeer Shah and Taimoor Ali revealed that crush owners have increased prices by up to Rs3,000. A-quality stone now costs Rs7,500, up from Rs6,000. B-quality stands at Rs6,500, up from Rs5,500, and C-quality has risen to Rs6,000, up from Rs4,000 per hundred. The price hike has significantly reduced the number of orders from citizens.

Crusher owners operating in Khanpur, Suraj Street, Sarai Saleh, Chapar Road, and surrounding areas gave multiple reasons for the increase, including rising electricity costs and a doubling of taxes imposed by the mineral department. They also pointed to escalating commercial rates, driven by the high cost of electricity, as well as challenges in paying daily wages to workers.