PANJIM: On the day the Bharatiya Janata Party called for a CBI inquiry in all projects awarded to Louis Berger, who are technical consultants for the Mopa international airport project, the Mopa evaluation committee met to shortlist the company for the technical bids. 

Though the meeting ended inconclusively on this, the Director Civil Aviation Dr Suresh Shanbhogue said that the release of Request for Proposal (RFP) and the signing of Concession Agreement with the bidder for the construction of proposed Mopa airport will be done in August.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Shanbhogue said that five applications were received for the technical bids, which are under evaluation.  ”The meeting remained inconclusive. We will be meeting again this week,” he said.

The five companies include Airport Authority of India (AAI), GVK, GMR, Essel Infra and Voluptas. The meeting was chaired by Chief Secretary (acting) R K Srivastav. 

Shanbhogue said that post technical bids, the RFP and signing of Concession Agreement with the bidder would be done in August. “90 days time from issuance of notification would be granted to bidder,” he said.

Asked about the granting of environmental clearance to the project by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the Director said that last month a detailed presentation had been made before the Ministry on the project. Another meeting with the MoEF official would be held next month, he said.

The government expects the Mopa airport to be operational by 2018-19. It is currently awaiting Environment Clearance for the project from MoEF.

The government has already short listed five bidders for ‘Request For Qualification’ (RFQ) for the development of the airport in terms of design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. 

Land measuring 81,29,455 sq mtrs has been acquired for the airport and a further 381 acres is being proposed near the site for commercial development.