It is now exploring the possibility of a joint venture with a foreign government or floating a public limited company for the purpose.
At present, according to the bidding document, the contract would be awarded to a private operator on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis.
Port officials, however, said though re-tendering was a distinct possibility, the future course of action would be firmed up only after a sub-committee formed to look into the affair meets in December this year. The meeting, which was supposed to happen on November 21, has now been postponed to December 8.
The port has also zeroed in on a Delhi-based consulting firm, Consulting Engineering Services (CES), for making traffic projections and cost comparisons vis-a-vis other neighbouring hub ports.
Seven other firms, including Dutch consultants Fredrick Harris, Howe (India) Private Ltd, KPMG, and RITES were also in the reckoning.
Incidentally, Fredrick Harris had conducted a similar study in the mid-nineties but a re-look was needed because a lot of time had elapsed since then, a consultant at CES said.
