After remaining vacant for nearly two years, the Cuttack District Mines Department has initiated the auction of 40 sand pits and mineral quarries across various tehsils. Applications are open until September 21, followed by tender openings between September 22 and October 6. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, successful bidders will be chosen via e-lottery from October 12 to 16.
The auction spans multiple regions, including 9 pits each in Kishorenagar and Nishchintkoili, 6 in Narasinghpur, 5 in Cuttack Sadar, 3 in Badamba, and others in Kantapada, Tigiria, Athagarh, Dampada, and Tangi-Chowdwar.
Averaging around 12 acres each, these pits boast an estimated annual yield of 50,000 to 95,000 cubic feet of sand, with royalty fixed at Rs. 70 per cubic meter. This move is expected to streamline local construction and boost district revenue.