As many as 11 private players have evinced interest in operating, managing, and developing the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for the next 50 years, the contract for which is to be awarded by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on February 28.
At the pre-bid conference organised as per the schedule fixed for the bidding process by the AAI in New Delhi on Thursday, representatives of 11 entities interested in bidding for the airport participated.
GMR Group, the leading airport developer and operator, Adani Group, which is behind the upcoming Vizhinjam International Deepwater seaport project, and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) were among those who had shown interest, sources in the AAI told The Hindu .
The highest of 11 private players was for Thiruvananthapuram International Airport followed by 10 for the Mangaluru airport from among the six AAI-managed airports for which the Request For Proposal (RFP) had been floated to select the private player.
With the last date for submission of the two cover bids fixed at February 14, representatives of the private players who have shown interest in the airport are arriving to see the terminal.
Protest
The consultants of the Adani Group that arrived on Thursday had to abandon the visit to the terminal buildings following the opposition and protest by AAI personnel under The Airports Authority Employees Union (AAEU).
Last week, the GMR Group representatives also faced the same situation and had to make a hasty retreat from the airport premises.
The bidders will be shortlisted based on the technical capacity and financial capacity. The Letter of Award (LOA) will be issued on February 28.
