Tamil Nadu’s Public Works Department has released the construction material price list for 2026-27, ending the temporary use of older rates for government tenders and setting new benchmark prices for materials, labour and work-based estimates.
The list is used by state government and public-sector departments when preparing tenders for works such as roads, bridges and government office buildings. Contractors rely on these rates while preparing bids, while departments use them to estimate project costs and evaluate tenders.
The annual schedule is generally issued in May or June. However, the 2026-27 list was delayed following the Assembly election and the change in government, according to a report by Dinamalar. Until the new schedule was released, the Public Works Department had allowed departments to continue using the previous price list.
The newly issued schedule specifies a price of Rs 5,000 for one tonne of cement. The listed rate for one tonne of reinforcement steel, or rebar, is Rs 55,665, while 1,000 bricks have been priced at Rs 7,887.
The schedule also includes rates based on the nature of the work and details related to labour costs. The department has released the revised information in three volumes, covering the material, work and labour-related rates required for preparing public construction tenders.
The release provides a common costing reference for departments undertaking publicly funded construction. Without a current schedule, tender estimates may not reflect prevailing material and labour costs, creating uncertainty while departments prepare project documents and contractors submit bids. The new list is therefore relevant not only to construction agencies but also to the wider pipeline of state-funded roads, bridges and buildings.
The timing of the release is also significant for projects whose tender preparation had been guided by the earlier schedule. The Public Works Department’s earlier direction allowed the old rates to remain in force until the updated list was published. The new schedule now replaces that interim arrangement for 2026-27 works.
The published rates do not, by themselves, indicate the final cost of any individual project. Actual tender values will also depend on the design, quantities, specifications, location, labour requirements and other conditions stated in each tender document. The department’s schedule functions as the official reference for preparing those estimates.
The 2026-27 price list came into effect from the day before the report was published, according to Dinamalar. Government departments and public-sector agencies are expected to use the three-volume schedule for new tendering and construction estimates going forward.
