Yamuna authority hires PWC for Jewar airport project report
We have selected PWC... The consultant will have to complete its job by Marchend 2018 so that the project can be taken to the next stage. SHAILENDRA BHATIA, officer on special duty of the YEIDA
GREATER NOIDA: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) on Friday selected Pricewaterhousecoopers as a consultant for preparing the techno-economic feasibility report (TEFR) for the proposed international airport at Jewar along the 165-km Yamuna Expressway.
The authority selected PWC out of total seven agencies, which had applied for the job. Right after the selection process was over, the authority issued a letter of acceptance to the PWC that will start the study on January 1, 2018, said officials.
The Union civil aviation ministry had on June 24 given its approval to build an international airport at Jewar.
Now, YEIDA wants the consultant to work on the airport project so that it could be taken forward.
Six other agencies — Engineers India Ltd, KPMG advisory services Private limited, Jones Lang Lasalle Property Consultancy, PWC, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP and CBRE South Asia Private Limited — had participated in the bidding process.
“We have selected the PWC because it was the lowest bidder to carry out this job. The con- sultant will have to complete its job by March-end 2018 so that the project can be taken to the next stage,” said Shailendra Bhatia, officer on special duty of the YEIDA.
“PWC has in the last two years worked on several key greenfield airport projects,” said Bhatia.
In 2001, then UP chief minister Rajnath Singh had proposed the Greenfield Taj International Airport and Aviation Hub (TIH) in Jewar.
L&T Rambol Consulting Engineers had in 2004 prepared a draft of TEFR.
Later, the draft was revised in 2008. In 2010, then chief minister Mayawati had also supported the aviation project at Jewar. Again i n June 2017, the Centre revived the project, which remained stuck for many years.
“PWC will start a fresh survey and prepare the TEFR afresh and submit the report by March end. Simultaneously, we are also working on the process of acquiring the agricultural land for the project and seeking approvals on funding pattern from the UP government. We hope that we will implement section 4 and 6 to start land acquisition process in March,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of the YEIDA.
YEIDA had earlier sought ₹2,000 crore from the state government to acquire the initial 1,000 hectares of agricultural land for the project.
But the state government will finalise funding pattern of this project in its upcoming budget meeting, said officials. The project requires 5,000 hectares land.
“Now, YEIDA wants to acquire 1,387 hectares of agricultural land in eight villages with around ₹3,000 crore budget in Phase-i. We will amicably buy agricultural land directly from the farmers to avoid delay in acquisition process,” said Bhatia.