Team Herald
PANJIM: Bangalore-based GMR bagged the Mopa Greenfield airport project after the company made the highest bid in revenue sharing with the State government. GMR group’s bid of 36.99 percent annual revenue sharing with the Goa government was the highest from among the three bidders.
Airport Authority of India made the second highest bid of 32.31 percent and Essel Group made a bid of 27 percent. Voluptas (Hiranandani Group) and GVK did not participate in the bidding. The financial bids were opened on Friday afternoon at the secretariat.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was elated with the response received. “GMR will share 37 percent of the gross revenue,” he said and added that GMR will also build a shopping mall, hotels and an entertainment hub in the Mopa area.
Civil Aviation Director Suresh Shanbhogue said the bid was a big achievement for the State. “Irrespective of the contractor’s revenue Goa will get 37 percent. If He gets Rs 100 cr revenue Goa would get Rs 37 cr and if he gets revenue of Rs 1000 cr we will get Rs 370 cr and that is huge,” he said.
Asked when the actual work would start, he said, “We will now issue the work order and it further depends on when GMR can get finance, etc.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to lay the foundation stone for the proposed airport in September end.
In January this year, the State government had issued the RFP for the proposed airport, seeking bids from interested companies to construct the airport.
The airport will be developed in four phases. Phase I is to be completed by 2020 and will cater to 4.4 million passengers, phase II should be ready by 2025 and cater to 5.8 million passengers. The total cost of airport is Rs 3250 crore.
