Mangaluru : The Dakshina Kannada district administration has embarked on an ambitious plan to ensure hassle-free sand supply to residents through a web-portal and Apps in which the entire process — from booking sand to getting delivery — takes place online.

It is said to be the first of its kind in the entire country where the entire process — from booking till delivery — is made online ensuring transparency.

Presently under trial, the system, directly monitored by the district sand monitoring committee, involves the customer, the transporter and the sand permit holder (Dhakke owner). It is made applicable to sand available in coastal regulation zone (CRZ) at present and may be extended to non-CRZ areas too later, according to sources.
A buyer has to visit https://www.dksandbazaar.com and enter his mobile phone number to proceed further with one time password. Customer has to provide name, email address and address before indicating the quantity (3 tons, 7 tons and 10 tons) and quality (coarse, medium and fine). He could either select the source (Dhakke) of sand or else the system itself would select the Dhakke nearest to the customer.

At present, ₹500 is fixed per ton as the price for sand excluding transportation. Transportation charges are fixed at ₹2,000 up to 20 km distance, after which customer has to pay Rs. 50 per additional kilometre. For a 10 tone sand, the total amount comes to ₹5,775 including duties. Then he has to make online payment of the amount. The portal is mobile friendly while the Committee would soon launch an App for the customer too.

Once the order is placed, the Dhakke owner concerned gets an alert on his App while a transporter can pick the order through his App. The transporter reaches the Dhakke and shares the OTP with the Dhakke owner before loading the sand. The customer has to provide the OTP received by him to the transporter once the consignment reaches him to get delivery.

The Dhakke owner as well as the transporter would receive their money in three to five days in their respective bank accounts.

Already 12 orders were booked and two have been delivered, sources said.