Kolkata, Chennai airports upgrade takes off

Bids invited for global advisors to design passenger terminal buildings.

As a first step towards modernising Chennai and Kolkata airports, the government has floated bids to appoint global advisors to plan and design the terminal side of the two airports.

The global architecture advisors, appointed after a global bidding, will design the passenger terminal buildings with all engineering services. They will also develop other infrastructure like outside parking and approach to the airports.

The advisors will also prepare a roadmap for integrating the airside and city side of the airport. The other tenders, including that of technical advisors and developing partners, will be floated shortly.

The move to prepare the architecture plans ahead of the modernisation project follows the model adopted by the government for the Delhi and Mumbai airports upgrade.

The government is also of the view that a model prepared by the independent advisors will be the basis for the developers to modernise the airports.

The government also wants to limit the role of external agencies like technical advisors and financial advisors in future airport modernisation projects.

This is because the role of the two companies "" Airplan and ABN Amro"" which advised the government on privatisation and modernisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports came under severe criticism. Airplan was the technical advisor, while ABN Amro was the financial advisor to the government.

According to senior government officials, as an alternate model, the government will set up a tender panel to evaluate the bids submitted. The government may set up a special purpose vehicle in the lines of Delhi Metro to develop the Chennai and Kolkata airports.