The deadline for submitting bids for the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) package of Maharashtra’s Vadhvan Port has been extended by three months, now set for May 18. This extension allows potential bidders additional time to prepare their proposals for the significant offshore development project, which encompasses the development and maintenance of reclaimed land through dredging and construction of an offshore protection bund. The estimated cost for this package is ₹22,323.47 crore under the PPP-HAM model.
Project officials attribute the extension to delays in land acquisition for essential rail and road connectivity. Without this infrastructure, access to the greenfield port site remains limited. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has emphasized that awarding the HAM contract prematurely would be unwise, as offshore reclamation can only commence once at least 50% of the main breakwater is completed.
Additionally, officials warned that an early contract award could lead to unnecessary costs related to equipment mobilization and potential arbitration if there is no immediate work available for the concessionaire. The Vadhvan Port development is divided into three main components, including near-shore reclamation and a substantial offshore package for dredging and protection bund construction.
This ambitious project, a collaboration between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and the Maharashtra Maritime Board, aims to establish a significant deep-draft gateway on India’s western coast, with operational goals set for around 2029–30.
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