New Delhi, May 10: Construction cost index increased 0.65 per cent last month mainly due to a rise in the prices of steel and cement, according to the monthly updates of Construction Industry Development Council. The average rise in construction cost, however, stood at 4.58 per cent per annum from the base year period of January 1998, the report said. Hyderabad recorded the highest cost increase at 6.36 per cent till April, 2004 as against the base year period. Mumbai occupied the second slot with 5.37 per cent rise, followed by Kolkata (5.06 per cent) and Delhi (4.14 per cent). The construction cost recorded 3.29 per cent and 3.27 per cent increase in Bangalore and Chennai respectively. In the building cost category, Hyderabad again topped the list with 6.04 per cent cost increase over the base year period. It was followed by Kolkata (5.15 per cent), Mumbai (4.88 per cent), Delhi (3.49 per cent), Bangalore (3.09 per cent) and Chennai (2.84 per cent).
In road construction, Kolkata registered the highest cost rise of 5.28 per cent, followed by Hyderabad (5.17 per cent), Mumbai (4.65 per cent), Bangalore (4.63 per cent), Delhi (4.47 per cent) and Chennai (3.14 per cent).
The cost of maintenance registered the highest increase in Hyderabad at 8.48 per cent while the lowest maintenance cost was recorded in Bangalore at 3.45 per cent. Bureau Report