Mundra Port SEZ (MPSEZ) promoted by the Adani Group, which has been facing security clearance issues for its port projects under the Central Government, has recently been able to bid for the Chennai project.
The company has been able to do so because it had got the necessary clearance for the Chennai port project about two years ago, informed official sources in the know.
Chennai Port is a major port under the aegis of Central Government.
Clearance withheld
MPSEZ, which submitted its financial bid for development of the Rs 3,700 crore mega, deep-water container terminal project in Chennai, has emerged as a lone bidder.
In the last few months, MPSEZ has not been able to bid for at least four major port projects because of the Centre withholding security clearance.
All firms that financially bid for developing berths in the Centrally-administered major ports have to get security clearance from the Ministries of External Affairs, Defence and Home Affairs.
But, there is no such procedural requirement for non-major ports, which are under the State Governments.
The Centre has withheld this mandatory nod for MPSEZ in its attempts to bid for two projects at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), one each in Visakhapatnam and Kandla. The company had moved the Bombay High Court on the issue.
But, the High Court did not interfere in the matter and asked MPSEZ to approach the nodal Ministry to resolve the issue.
MPSEZ maintains that it has not received any communication informing it of any such security roadblock.
Earlier, MPSEZ had received security approvals from the Centre to develop terminals at major ports. It had won bids to develop a mechanised coal handling berth in Mormugao Port, Goa; and a coal import terminal at the Visakhapatnam port.
MPSEZ is operating and developing ports at Mundra, Dahej and Hazira, all administered by the Gujarat Government.
Recently, MPSEZ won the bid to manage Abbot Point Coal Terminal in Australia for close to Rs 9,000 crore - the largest acquisition by any Indian company in this sector abroad.