NOIDA: The deadline for submitting bids for the pod taxi project from the Noida international airport to the proposed Film City in Sector 21 has been extended by a month to November 28. This is the third time that the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has decided on an extension.Officials said the move followed requests from firms based in Europe to factor in the winter vacation and festivities there.We had received multiple requests for an extension. In projects that involve international companies, extensions can be given for upto six months. I hope the firms will submit their bids in a month, said Arun Vir Singh, the YEIDA CEO.Global tenders for the 14.6km personal rapid transit (PRT) system were first issued on July 1 this year. The last date for submitting the bid documents was August 10 and the technical bids were set to be opened six days later.In the pre-bid meeting on July 19, 11 companies — both domestic and international — participated. Among them were PRT UK, Larsen and Toubro, Systra France, Ultra PRT, Siemens, Tata, IRB Infrastructure, Intamin Transportation (Switzerland), Hyundai, Kalpataru and Invest India.Representatives of these companies raised several queries, which needed time to be resolved. This caused the deadline to be extended to September. It was pushed by a month to October 25 again. Sources in the Authority said that even after the extension, only two companies purchased the bid documents. None of them, however, submitted the documents.The estimated cost is Rs 641.5 crore, which includes expenses for the construction, electrical and mechanical work. The transit system aims at providing a seamless link for flyers landing at the Noida airport to reach Film City. The corridor will pass through YEIDA sectors 21, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, and 35.The project, to be built on the public-private partnership model, will have a concession period of 35 years, which includes two years needed for construction. The detailed project report has been prepared by Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Ltd.The selection of the company would depend on its technical and economic credentials.We also published the following articles recentlyTwin cities bid emotional farewell to DurgaThe cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack in India concluded their five-day Durga Puja festivities with a grand immersion procession. Tight security and traffic arrangements were made to ensure a peaceful and smooth event. Temporary ponds were created for the immersion of idols alongside the rivers. In addition, TOI collaborated with its readers to enhance the puja experience through the Durge Devi Namastute campaign. The cities saw a total of 188 Durga Pujas this year, with vibrant processions and intricately crafted idols carried on huge trucks. Ravan Podi, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, was also celebrated with fireworks and the burning of effigies.CISF personnel foil gold smuggling bid at Chennai airportThe Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) at Chennai airport stopped two ground staffers and a Sri Lankan transit passenger in an attempt to smuggle 1.9 kg of gold. The ground handling staffers were found with gold paste concealed in their socks, which they had collected from a passenger arriving from Dubai. In a separate incident, customs officers seized two kg of gold worth Rs 1.3 crore from a contract worker who was trying to smuggle it out of the airport. The worker had received the gold from a Sri Lankan national and was caught while trying to flee the airport.Hiring deadline for depts likely to be extendedThe Goa government is planning to extend the deadline for completing recruitments to group C posts by three months through an amendment to the Goa staff selection commission (SSC) ordinance. The recruitment process for around 10,000 vacancies had started before the 2022 assembly elections, but some departments have not completed the selection process. The vacancies created after January 8, 2022, will be filled by the commission, while vacancies created before that date will be filled by the respective departments. The SSC will soon start hiring for group C posts based on proposals from 22 government departments.

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