There is a difference between a Design Build Finance Operate Transfer (DBFOT) contract and a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) contract. Mopa Airport Request for Qualification (RFQ) tender was to short list and select bidder/developer under DBFOT contract but was suddenly changed to BOT contract.
GMR Airports Ltd. was selected as a BOT contractor for Mopa Airport. According to Herald news report dated July 11, 2017, GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) is the Subsidiary of GMR Airports Limited. So did the BOT contractor sign any concession agreement on 21 September 2016? And has the unsuccessful bidder namely Airports Authority of India (AAI) been appointed the Project Authority for Mopa Airport?
It also now appears from the above referred Herald news report that Bank loan for the project is going to be provided based on the so-called intrinsic strength of the project and also the operational and delivery capability of the BOT Contractor, namely GMR Airports Ltd.
The Mopa Airport BOT contractor had neither been ranked for design related tasks during selection process nor the so-called SPV named GMR Goa International Airport Limited is an independent institutional Authority for monitoring the phase-wise construction of Mopa Airport. It is therefore shocking to read from the Herald news report dated July 8, 2017 that GMR has been allowed to float a global tender inviting contractors having experience in designing of Airports. Why is there no mandated independent institutional Authority for completing the tender process and for monitoring the site clearances and master plan related issues of Mopa Airport? Can the phase-wise construction of Mopa Airport be allowed to start without resolving these critical land-use related issues?
The existing Dabolim airport is referred to as the Goa International Airport. It now appears that the existing Dabolim International Airport will soon be handed over to the Naval Authorities in the near future. Why was the so-called Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) named as GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) instead of GMR Mopa International Airport Limited?
