21.8.14

NaMu Airport snippets


Cidco, the nodal body overseeing the Navi Mumbai airport project, has once again extended the final date to respond to initial call for bids for the airport. The last date has now been postponed to October 30, from September 2 earlier. Earlier, the deadline had been postponed to that date from June 18. Sources said six companies, including Spain's Ferrovial, Munich Airport, Tata Realty and Infrastructure, IL&FS and Essel Infrastructure, wrote to Cidco for an extension of the last date, citing a variety of reasons.
For instance, Ferrovial said while its negotiations with a local partner had progressed, it wasn't feasible enough to reach an agreement with them before the due date of application in September, according to a person close to the matter. Ferrovial has been in talks with Tata Realty for the project. Munich Airports said this was the first time it was planning to bid outside a project in Germany and that the board approval would take time, said the person. He added that Munich had asked for three months of extension, but Cidco finally decided two months would be enough. The extension has automatically pushed back the date of announcing the pre-qualified bidders by two months to the end of December.
In all, 20 companies, including GMR, Mumbai International Airport, Tata Realty and Infrastructure Projects and Spanish airport operator Ferrovial, were part of the pre-bid meeting which happened on April 2.
The Navi Mumbai airport has already been delayed for several years first because of environmental clearances and then later due to troubles in acquiring land, an issue that has still not been completely resolved. The government had given an initial nod to set up the airport in 2007. It was supposed to be completed by 2015, but is now aimed to be finished by December 2018. Planned as an alternative to the clogging Mumbai airport, the Rs.14,573crore Navi Mumbai airport project is likely to be completed in four phases. The airport will spread across 2,867 acres, with a terminal building covering 5,23,000 square metres and two parallel runways.

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