UP extends deadline for int'l airport bidding

GMR, GVK, L&T and Gammon India in fray

Acceding to the demand of prospective bidders, the Uttar Pradesh government has extended the bidding dates for the proposed international airport at Kushinagar to April 10.

The proposed airport aims to unlock the Buddhist tourism potential in this backward eastern UP region, which attracts pilgrims and tourists from the world over.

Four companies — GMR, GVK, L&T and Gammon India — are in the fray and have already qualified the Request for Qualification stage.

“The companies had asked for more time to file their bids. Besides, by April 10, the central environment clearance would also hopefully come and we would be ready with all the documents,” UP Tourism Secretary and State Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Avnish Awasthi told Business Standard.

The proposed airport, estimated to cost Rs 750 crore, would span 650 acres. It would be built on Design-Built-Finance-Operate-Transfer basis under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The government owns nearly 100 hectares of land, while the rest would be acquired.

“The month of March is very crucial and we will hold several rounds of discussions to clear doubts of the four companies,” he said.

After seeking clarifications about the project, the companies can file the financial bids.

The department could hold another round of pre-bid conference for the proposed airport, he added. The last pre-bid conference was held in New Delhi on February 13.

The government will acquire the land for the concessionaire, which will develop the airport after getting land on 60-year lease. The basic airport could be ready in two years time.

The Buddhist Circuit comprising Sarnath, Kushinagar, Sankisa Kaushambi, Shravasti and Kapilvastu attracts pilgrims from around the world, especially Japan and South-East Asia.

Earlier, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) South Asia CEO Kapil Kaul had said since Buddhist traffic was significant in the area, the likelihood of the airport was quite strong.

The Centre could also step in with viability gap funding as a greenfield airport would take around seven to ten years to complete, Kaul suggested.

The airport will connect Kushinagar directly with Japan, Myanmar, South Korea, China, Thailand, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, since they account for the maximum Buddhist tourists.