| The government today ended three-and-a-half years of uncertainty by deciding to award the contracts for modemising the Delhi and Mumbai airports to consortia led by GMR and GVK, respectively.
An empowered group of ministers (EGoM). setup for the airports modernisation project, took the decision here after the evaluation of financial bids by an inter-ministerial group. The financial bids consisted primarily of the share of revenue offered to the government.
In choosing the two Hyderabad-based bidders, the government also met its much- avowed deadline of January31.
The EGoM’s decision will be submitted to the Cabinet tomorrow, which is unlikely to overruled it. The GMR-Fraport consortium emerged the second highest bidder in the financial evaluation for Delhi. But, as this consortium was the only one to qualify on technical parameters, it was given the option to match the highest financial bid for the airport of its choice.
It chose Delhi and agreed to match the highest bid for the airport, by Reliance-ASA, which offered to share 46 per cent of the revenue with the government. GMR’s original bid was 43.Spercent. ForMumbai,GVK, promoted by the Reddy's, emerged the top bidder, offering to share 38 per cent revenue.
Soon after the details of the bids leaked out, a little before the official announcement, those that lost out began alleging that tender conditions were flouted. Some were believed to be writing protest letters to the prime minister.
The main contention can be the EGoM’s decision at its last meeting to broaden competition and by taking into account the financial bids of all aspirants that had fetched 50 per cent or more marks in technical evaluation.
However, Amarchand Mangaldas, the government’s legal adviser, believes all will be well. ‘The grwemment has Icoked at its options. The decision was not taken just likethat,”saidPallavi Shroff, a partner with the firm.
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