The Kerala government has offered to talk to the sulking bidders of the Vizhinjam port and container transshipment project in order to remove apprehensions, if any, about the project.

This was decided at a meeting held here with representatives of the bidders, who had failed to turn up on the last day for submission of the documents.

Chandy also told the meeting that the last day has been extended by a month.

Three bidders (Adani Ports, Essar Ports and Srei-OHL Consortium) had purchased the RFP documents but had failed to turn up on Monday, the appointed day.

That this should have come after the Rs 4,089-crore project was granted all clearances, including viability gap funding, has baffled political and administrative circles here.

Special purpose vehicle Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd is open to the option of suitably tweaking what it feels is a well-structured package, should bidders need it that way.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Ports K Babu has said that the government is willing to even re-tender the project, if needed.

There is also feeling that the bidders doubt if the port project would be granted exemption from Cabotage laws.

But this is unwarranted since Cabotage issues come up only after the project becomes ready for operation.

Failure of the bidders to turn in their bids is shocking, he said. The government is trying to ascertain the exact reasons why they kept away.

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