Global giants keen to consult state on Jewar airport project

Members of 11 agencies, including KPMG, Deloitte, Nippon Koei India Private limited, CRISIL, ARUP, Creative Group, CBRE and Louis Berger, met with officials of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority to understand the project requirements; the authority will open the technical bid on December 11 and finalise a consultant by mid-December

Multiple international agencies are exploring the opportunity to become the consultant for the proposed international airport in Jewar, along the 165km Yamuna Expressway.

The Union civil aviation ministry had given its approval for the international airport at Jewar on June 24 this year. (REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO)

Members of 11 agencies, including KPMG, Deloitte, Nippon Koei India Private limited, CRISIL, ARUP, Creative Group, CBRE and Louis Berger, on Friday, met with the officials of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) to understand the project requirements.

It had started the process of selecting a consultant on November 11 by floating an e-tender. Interested agencies who want to work as a consultant are applying for selection.

Officials said the authority will open the technical bid on December 11 and finalise a consultant by mid-December. On December 11, the authority will know the number of agencies that have applied. Whichever agency submits the lowest bid will win get the project, officials said.

“Since many international agencies are wishing to take up the consultancy job for the airport project, we hope to select an agency in December, without delaying it further,” said Shailendra Bhatia, an officer on special duty, YEIDA, who has been designated for the project.

The UP government had in October appointed YEIDA as the nodal agency for the project and directed it to expedite the process of development of this project.

YEIDA officials said that the consultant can revise the 2008 version of the TEFR.

“Since the TEFR is already ready, the new consultant can revise it instead of preparing a new one. It will save time and make the job easier. The consultant will delineate the airport land at the proposed site for which the site clearance is awarded,” Bhatia said.

YEIDA has also started the land acquisition process, officials said. “We are also following the issue up with the UP government so that it can release the funds at the earliest and we can start land acquisition, hopefully, by January, when the consultant will also begin its work on the project,” Bhatia said.

The Union civil aviation ministry had given its approval for the international airport at Jewar on June 24 this year. Now, YEIDA is awaiting funds of ₹2,000 crore from the state government to acquire 1,000 hectares of agricultural land in the initial phase of the project.

On the whole, 5000 acres is required for the project, officials estimated.