New Delhi: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has once again extended the deadline for the submission of bids for the development of an Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) pipeline from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a notification released by the board showed. PNGRB said that the last date for downloading the bid document and bid submission for the development of the ATF pipeline has been extended from December 7 to February 7, 2022. And the technical bid opening date has been extended from December 9 to February 9, 2022.
The regulatory body said that the extensions are being announced in view of the requests received from prospective bidders. PNGRB had earlier announced extensions in the bid submission deadline in March and then again in May, June and September.
PSU Watch had earlier reported that all the three state-run oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) — have thrown their hat in the ring. In addition, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and IndianOil Tanking, a joint venture company between Indian Oil and Oiltanking India are interested in putting in bids for developing the ATF pipeline from JNPT to Navi Mumbai airport.
The JNPT-Navi Mumbai ATF pipeline will be 15-km-long and will have a capacity of 2 MTPA. The Navi Mumbai Airport needs four ATF pipelines, however, the PNGRB has invited bids only for one pipeline right now. The three PSU oil marketing companies — Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL — have a dominant present in the jet fuel market with a lion's share of 90 percent.
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