Many big players from the real estate as well as biotech industry have evinced interest in developing Himachal Pradesh?s first biotechnology park.

The companies have come forward only after the last date for submitting the request for quotation (RFQ) was extended from February 15 to March 18. However, not many enquiries had come for the development of the project initially when the state?s department of environment, science and technology invited the expression of interests (EoI) on January 18.

?Now, things are looking up and we aim to allot the project to a developer within the next two months,? a senior official of the biotechnology department told FE.

?About a dozen companies had submitted the request for qualifications (RFQs) to us and we have already shortlisted a few after screening the applications. They include big groups hailing from the realty as well as biotech sectors. We are just waiting for the lease agreement to be finalised by the law department. We hope to issue the request for proposal (RFP) to the qualified companies within a week,? he added.

The park is proposed to come up at village Aduwal, near Nalagarh in Solan district and is likely to catalyse an investment of around Rs 500 crore including investment from the private companies setting up base in the industrial cluster of the park.

It will be developed over 35 acre under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode, and UK-based consultant Matt MacDonald will assist the department in selecting the promoter, as well as signing the final agreement with the company.

After a two-stage selection process of request for quotation and request for proposal, the promoter will be selected within 60 days and the final agreement for development of the BT park will be signed thereafter.

?The pre-bid meet is expected to take place within the next two weeks. All issues raised by the developers will be resolved during the period and then we shall invite the technical and financial bids. The entire process is likely to get over within two months,? said the official.