Lone Bidder for Vizhinjam Project.

At the end of the day, the State Government was left with one bid, that of Ahmedabad-based Adani Ports, when the deadline for placing price bids for the Vizhinjam multi-purpose seaport project ended at 5.30 p.m. on Friday.

The situation is reminiscent of 2012 when the government had been saddled with the single bid of a consortium led by Welspun after Adani's Mundra Ports was denied clearance by the Union Home Ministry.

Adani Ports has sought Rs. 1635 crore as grant from the government. The total project cost is Rs. 4089 crore, while the first phase of the project is estimated to cost a total Rs. 7525 crore, which includes Rs. 1463 crore, the cost of building the breakwater.

Two other groups, Essar Ports and a consortium of Srei Infrastructure and OHL, did not bid.

Top officials of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd. (VISL) said that there were no legal problems in entertaining a single bid, but that the government would be negotiating with Adani to bring the grant amount down.

'The bid will be submitted to the empowered committee headed by the Chief Secretary for examination and a decision will be taken,' VISL CEO A S Suresh Babu said.

A Big Achievement, says K BABU

Ports Minister K Babu said this is a big achievement because it is the first time that the state has received a bid for this project from the ports sector. 'The bid will be discussed by the empowered committee (headed by the Chief Secretary), the board of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd and the Cabinet. A decision favourable to the interests of the state will be taken after studying all aspects,' he said.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS