Navi Mumbai airport on hold again as bidders seek more time to submit bids

Even as the decks for the Navi Mumbai international airport have been cleared after all the project-affected villagers gave their consent for land acquisition last week, bidders are now asking for yet another extension.

This is the fourth time the bidders have sought extension from the implementing agency City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) for submission of bids.

The bidders include GVK Group which runs the current airport in the city and has the first right of refusal in the bidding process, Tata Realty & Infrastructure, among others.

In the February round of RFQs, leading companies like Zurich Airport, Ferrovial Aeropuertos, Tata Realty & Infrastructure, Mumbai International Airport (GVK), Srei Infra Finance, Samsung-C&T, IL&FS, GMR Group, Essel Infraprojects, Gensler of US, UK Trade & Investment, and Vinci Concessions India, among others had submitted their bids.

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The Cidco had floated tenders for the over Rs 14,500-crore project this February and had fixed June 18 as the date of submission of RFQs. The deadline was, however, extended thrice to July 30, September 2 and October 31, as the bidders sought time to submit the tenders.

“Yes, they have asked for one more extension,” Cidco vice-chairman and managing director Sanjay Bhatia told PTI, but refused to offer details as to why the bidders are seeking more time again.

He, however, said that currently focus is land acquisition after getting the consent of the villagers, rehabilitation and relocation of power transmission lines.

According to another Cidco official, who did not wish to be named, the agency may not accept this demand of the bidders as it has already extended it thrice and the critical path of consent has been cleared.

Cidco had earlier revised the tender document on the request of the bidders, after which the deadline was extended to September 2.

Earlier, the bidders sought changes in the qualification norms after which the Cidco’s revised document has brought significant changes that include holding of up to 26 per cent stake from the 10 per cent earlier by the airlines in the private consortium and allowing foreign airlines to participate in the bids.

PTI