New Delhi, Nov. 7: The Supreme Court today dismissed an appeal by Reliance Airport Developers challenging Delhi High Court’s verdict upholding the award of contracts for the modernisation of Delhi an Mumbai airports to consortia led by GMR and GVK.

A bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S. H. Kapadia said, “The appeal is sans merit and deserves to be dismissed.”

Reliance Airport, which is part of the Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, had moved the Supreme Court after Delhi High Court dismissed the company’s petition seeking cancellation of the contracts awarded to the rival developers on April 21.

While questioning the conduct of Reliance Airport during the process of bidding, the apex court criticised the evaluation committee for altering the scoring norms, saying it had no business to expand or narrow down the scoring pattern.

The bench said experience in property development is different from the experience in infrastructure development.

Reacting to the order, civil aviation minister Praful Patel said, “The Supreme Court verdict vindicates the government’s stand, paving the way for building world class infrastructure in the country.”

The government plans to spend Rs 46,000 crore in the next 5-7 years to improve the utilities strained by growing traffic and catch up with Thailand, Malaysia and other Asian countries that have built new airports in the past decade.