| The shortlisted bidders would then be invited for technical and financial bids and a final recommendation would be forwarded to the empowered group of ministers (EGoM), Patel said on the sidelines of a marketing summit on 'Challenging the Value of Marketing', organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). |
| Ten consortiums, including Reliance, Videocon and DLF, had expressed interest to bid for the 74 per cent stake in the joint venture companies, in which the Airports Authority of India will hold a 26 per cent stake. |
| The IMG is evaluating the expressions of interest and would take a decision within the next few days, he said. Final partners for the two JV companies will be selected by the year-end. |
| The minister also said a new policy, allowing domestic air carriers to fly to ASEAN countries, is in the offing. |
| Private domestic airlines are currently allowed to operate to Saarc countries and the ministry is preparing a policy paper to allow them to mount services to ASEAN as well. |
| Domestic private carriers have been pressing the government for permission to fly to Asean countries. |
| The private airlines are now allowed to fly to the Saarc countries. The ministry has already asked the ASEAN members to accord multiple designated carrier status to India, which will help airlines like Jet and Sahara to start services to these destinations. |
| Patel also said that it is planning to convert the state-owned Alliance Air into a no-frills, low cost airline. |
| "We have received tenders for the new aircraft. Our idea is to make Alliance Air a low-cost airline. We will see to it that it is positioned as a low-cost, no-frills airline which is equally competitive," Patel said. |
| Alliance Air had invited bids to lease 11 Airbus A-319 aircraft and will finalise the deals shortly. The first aircraft will arrive in India by early-2005. |
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