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Bengaluru, July 17 (IANS) Two consortiums, led by Tuscan Consultants and Developers Private Limited and Ozone Group Football Academy Pvt Ltd, have submitted bids to reconstruct and develop the football stadium here as the city hopes to host matches of the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
The Tuscan-led consortium has submitted a consolidated financial proposal of Rs.525 crore and the Ozone Group has made a proposal of Rs.675 crore, according to Karnataka State Football Association president A.R. Khaleel here Friday.
The KSFA unanimously accepted the bids and will recommend to the Karnataka government for its approval to reconstruct and redevelop the stadium.
The construction of the stadium had started in 1967 with authorities planning an ambitious facility to match Brazil's iconic Maracana Stadium that hosted last year's World Cup final, but over the years, the project limped along and at one time resembled an ancient ruin.
"The Tender Scrutiny and Evaluation Committee set up by us unanimously accepted the bid of a consortium comprising Ozone Group Football Academy Private Limited and Hines India Real Estate Private Limited, and unanimously decided to recommend to the government of Karnataka for approval of reconstructing and redeveloping Bangalore Football Stadium to host U-17 World Cup," Khaleel said in a statement.
Earlier, Bengaluru had all but lost its bid to host the U-17 World Cup matches in view of the sorry state of the stadium that was somewhat refurbished by the owners of Bengaluru FC I-League team, JSW Bengaluru Football Club Pvt Ltd.
In June this year, FIFA representative and Tournament Director Javier Ceppi, during a visit to the city, had said that unless some developmental work started on a new stadium, Bengaluru stood little chance of hosting the U-17 World Cup matches.
To this end, a committee was set up comprising of members of the core committee of the KSFA, and representatives of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike, the city's local council.
"The legal and financial advisers of KSFA examined the technical bids submitted by the said entities, and evaluated the bids in the background of compliance with technical criteria, as set out under the tender notification dated June 8, 2015, and the tender documents," Khaleel said.
The KSFA had invited sealed bids on July 8 through tender process from interested bidders for reconstruction and redevelopment of the stadium and its ancillary developments on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis for a 30-year period on a leave and license basis for completion of the stadium by March 31, 2017 to host the World Cup.
Khaleel said three consortiums, namely Ruscan Consultants and Developers Pvt Ltd, JSW Bengaluru Football Club Pvt Ltd and Ozone Group Football Academy Pvt Ltd, submitted their bids.
The technical proposal submitted by the consortium led by JSW Bengaluru Football Club Pvt Ltd did not satisfy the technical qualification criteria set out under the tender notification, he said.
"In view of which the bid of the said consortium was rejected and the financial proposal submitted by them was not opened," he said.
The FIFA deadline for completion of the stadium is January 2017. Collin Smith, FIFA's director of competition, had visited India on May 21 and had clearly mentioned that FIFA requires stadiums should be ready between 12 or nine months before the event.
