Seven firms bid for construction of a new terminal building at Belagavi Airport

Belgaum, India (Urban Transport News): Seven firms are vying for the opportunity to construct a new terminal building at Belagavi Airport, also known as Belgaum Airport, in Belagavi, Karnataka. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) recently opened technical bids, marking a crucial step in the development of this infrastructure project.

Belagavi Airport's existing domestic terminal covers an area of 3,600 sqm and accommodates 300 peak-hour passengers. The apron has the capacity for six narrow-body aircraft such as B737 and A320.

The new terminal, featuring four aerobridges, is expected to significantly enhance the airport's handling capacity to 2400 peak-hour passengers (1200 arrivals and 1200 departures). Once operational, the existing terminal will be repurposed for arrivals, enabling the airport to manage a traffic demand of 2.0 million passengers per annum (MPPA) until 2037, according to AAI's consultants Landrum and Brown.

AAI initiated the tender process for the civil construction contract in November 2023, estimating the project at Rs. 265.04 crore with a completion deadline of two years. The bidding firms are as follows:

• BG Shirke Construction Technology Pvt. Ltd.
• CS Construction Company Ltd.
• Girdharilal Constructions Pvt. Ltd.
• Harsh Construction Pvt. Ltd.
• KMV Pvt. Ltd.
• KPC Projects Pvt. Ltd.
• Renaatus Projects Pvt. Ltd.

The scope of the project, as outlined by AAI, involves the construction of a new domestic terminal building and miscellaneous works at Belagavi Airport.

The technical bids are now in the process of evaluation, a phase expected to take a couple of months. Once completed, the financial bids of the technically qualified bidders will be opened, determining the lowest bidder and the likely contractor for the project.

While there are no available design renderings, AAI assures that the new terminal's architecture will be in harmony with the local context, incorporating elements from the region's geography, landmarks, culture, art, and architecture.

If all goes as planned in the tendering process, the contractor assignment should be finalized by the end of Q1 2024. Basic groundwork is anticipated to commence in Q2 2024, with full-fledged construction work beginning in Q3 2024.

AAI has several active tenders for the construction of new terminals across different airports, including Darbhanga, Varanasi, Agra, and Hisar, each with its respective technical bid opening date.

Stay tuned for further updates as the Belagavi Airport's expansion project progresses.