Covid-19 effect: Signing date of Jewar airport's key pact deferred again

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday once again deferred the date for the signing of a key pact for the Rs 29,650-crore Jewar airport project with its developer, according to an order.

The state government had in June extended till August 17 the date for the signing of the concession agreement with Zurich Airport AG amid travel restrictions due to the global outbreak of Covid-19.

The Switzerland firm had emerged as the highest bidder to develop the Jewar airport on the outskirts of Delhi in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of UP, outbidding competitors like Adani Enterprises, DIAL and Anchorage Infrastructure Investments Holding in November 2019.

"The timelines for the execution of the concession agreement are extended for a period of 45 days from the date of start of scheduled commercial international flights between India and Malaysia and India and Switzerland (whichever is later), plus the period of mandatory quarantine in India, or October 15, whichever is earlier, a state government order stated on Monday.

The government also extended till March 31, 2021 the date for bid validity and bid security of the project for all three bidders, including Adani Enterprises and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), according to officials.

The bid validity and bid security date of Adani Enterprises and DIAL was set to expire on October 24, while the Zurich Airport's was valid till October 26, Shailendra Bhatia, Noida International Airport Limited's nodal officer for Jewar Airport, told PTI.

The three serious bidders had deposited a security fee of Rs 100 crore each at the time of bidding, Bhatia said but made it clear that Adani Enterprises or DIAL are now out of bidding race as developer for the Greenfield airport.