Vijayawada Airport Terminal Faces Further Delays as AAI Issues Fresh Tender
In a significant development for aviation infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has floated a fresh tender notification for completing the balance works of the new integrated terminal building at Vijayawada International Airport. This move comes after a dismal response to its earlier tender, which failed to attract contractors for the crucial remaining construction.
Revised Timeline and Cost Implications
The latest tender, with an estimated cost of Rs 138.20 crore, aims to address approximately 1,500 pending work items that are essential for the terminal's completion. According to AAI officials, these items are paramount for finishing the project, which has been plagued by multiple delays since its foundation stone was laid in December 2018.
Currently, the new integrated terminal building is 80% complete, with the remaining 20% of works expected to take another five months. This timeline further postpones the terminal's inauguration, now projected for the second half of 2026. The AAI has set the last date for filing tender bids as February 10, with bid opening scheduled for February 12.
Execution Plan and Regulatory Approvals
As per the tender notification, the AAI plans to execute the pending works within 150 working days. If everything proceeds as planned, construction could be finished by July, followed by an additional two months for full-fledged commissioning. This commissioning phase requires obtaining mandatory clearances and permissions from regulatory bodies, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
An AAI official emphasized that the earlier revised deadline of March 31 for completion will be revised once again, with a new deadline to be announced afresh. This highlights the ongoing challenges in meeting construction timelines for this critical infrastructure project.
Background and Previous Challenges
The foundation stone for the Rs 611 crore new integrated terminal building was laid on December 4, 2018, by then Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu and former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu. The project was initiated to cater to growing air and passenger traffic and to enhance passenger amenities at Vijayawada airport.
However, the construction has been under way since its inception, missing multiple deadlines. In a previous attempt to expedite the process, the AAI terminated NKG Infrastructure Limited due to snail-paced progress and floated tenders for the balance 20% works with a 90-working-day deadline. Unfortunately, no tender bids were received, prompting the cancellation of the earlier notification and the issuance of this fresh tender.
The repeated delays and tender reissues underscore the complexities involved in completing large-scale aviation infrastructure projects, particularly in the face of contractor unavailability and regulatory hurdles.
