Four companies including GMR Infrastructure have qualified for second stage bidding for Kushinagar international airport project in Uttar Pradesh. The other three companies are GVK Developmental Projects, Gammon Infrastructure Projects and L&T.

In early 2010, the Department of Tourism, Uttar Pradesh, had invited applications from prospective bidders for upgrading an existing airstrip to an international airport at Kushinagar and integrated development of a Buddhist circuit, covering the Buddhist heritage sites of Uttar Pradesh, on a DBFOT basis.

Post evaluation of the financial and technical capacity of the bidders, Hyderabad based GMR Infrastructure with the highest weighted average net worth of Rs 12,424.3 crore was rated the highest by the evaluating committee. L &T came a close second in technical capacity, while GVK had the second highest weighted average net worth, of Rs 5,685.97 crore.

The existing functional airstrip of the UP Civil Aviation Authority at Kushinagar is about 97 acre, with the need to acquire 453 acre more from 12 villages around the airstrip. The state government proposes to build the airport in a PPP mode, on the DBFOT basis. The project consultant is IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation.

Some of the proposed project components are development of 550 acre allotted for operational purposes, commercial development of land spread over 50 acre in Kapilvastu and 200 acre of additional land adjacent to the airport provided for real estate development.

Also See:

MoEF clearance for Kushinagar airport (14-April-10)

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