Faced with the December 19 deadline, the Inter Ministerial Group today held its second meeting in four days to resolve differences over selection of bids for the upgradation of Delhi and Mumbai airports. The IMG, which has members of ministries represented in the Empowered Group of Ministers headed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is doing a scrutiny of the evaluation of technical bids carried out by technical advisor Airplan.Only two bids were able to go past the technical screening. Of this, one bidder is leading the table for both Delhi and Mumbai. While there is a sense in some quarters that this has led to a lack of choice, sources said, the technical parameters cannot be altered at this stage as this could cause a collapse of the entire process.The Planning Commission representative in IMG meeting on December 2, three days before the EGOM, raised doubts on the process. He felt that all six bidders for Mumbai and five for Delhi should be taken up by the EGOM which will be opening the financial bids. Else, the suggestion was to at least include one or two more bidders.The problem in doing this would mean scrapping the technical evaluation and opening doors for another row. Also, not abiding by the 80 per cent benchmark could create legal complications as this was set out in the bid documents. Following the dissent note moved by the Plan panel representative, the IMG has been given the mandate to look into the matter. The government had formed a review panel which looked into whether Airplan had carried out the technical evaluation accurately. This panel had cleared the evaluation after which the IMG took up the matter.Civil Aviation Ministry is keen to end the process before December 31 and plans to hold a EGOM soon after IMG submits its report. But sources said there are voices in the government pushing for re-evaluation of all bids.
