Two players submit technical, financial bids

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Mundra Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (MPSEZ) and a consortium led by Welspun Infratech Ltd submitted their technical and financial bids for the Vizhinjam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) project by 5 p.m. Tuesday, the deadline fixed by the State Government.The technical bids were opened on Tuesday evening. They will be scrutinised ov er the next 10 days after which the financial bids will be opened to decide the port operator, Ports Minister K Babu said.  MPSEZ, an Adani Group initiative, manages the biggest privately owned port in India. The Welspun Infratech Ltd-led consortium consists of Welspun Corporation Ltd and Leighton Welspun Contractors (India) Pvt Ltd. In all, state government-run Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) had issued the Request for Proposal to 12 firms/consortiums.  The withdrawal of Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), which initially evinced keen interest in the project, added some drama in the run-up to the submission of bids. SCI and the State Government attributed the withdrawal to the disinterest shown by one of the SCI’s consortium partners, Hindustan Construction Corporation (HCC). The Kerala Government plans to construct the ICTT on ‘Landlord Model,’ a decision taken by the previous LDF Government.