PANJIM: The state government on Monday again extended by a
month the time for bidders to submit the request for proposals (RFP) to
construct the international airport at Mopa. The last day for submitting RFPs
is now August 25.
The government
also told the Legislative Assembly that the foundation stone for the proposed
airport would be laid in September. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, replying
to a joint question tabled by Leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane and
Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane, informed the House that the due date for the
financial bids is August 25 and the government has five bidders on its
shortlist.
As per the
earlier deadline the last date for submitting financial bids was July 25. This
is the fifth extension granted for the submission of proposals.
The five
shortlisted bidders are Airports
Authority of India, GMR Airports Limited, GVK Airport Developers Limited, Essel
Infra Projects Limited (Consortium) and Voluptas Developers Private
Limited. (Consortium) .
“The work
will be awarded to the successful bidder only after the financial bids are opened
and accepted by the government,” the Chief Minister said.
Parsekar
said that it has been proposed to lay the foundation stone for the airport in
September this year. “The first phase of the project is likely to be completed
in 2019-20,” he stated.
The RFP for
the airport was issued on January 15 and the last date to submit the financial
bid was April 15 which was later extended to May 16. Following a request from
the bidders, the deadline was further extended to June 24 and then again to
July 11.
The
proposed airport, located in Mopa, Varconda, Ugvem, Chandel, Casarvarnem and
Ambrem on 81,29,455 sqm of land, has a passenger handling capacity of 9 million
per annum.
