The President’s Office has revealed that the Hanimaadhoo International Airport (HIA) development project site is being mobilised and that the project is progressing according to schedule.
At a press conference, Spokesperson at the President’s Office Miuvaan Mohamed said the necessary equipment and resources are being transported and that the site is being cleared to begin fieldwork. He added that the project is progressing as planned.
Hanimaadhoo International Airport Development Project is being funded by loan assistance from the EXIM Bank of India and includes major infrastructure and operational upgrades and building infrastructure to meet the future growth of traffic to the Maldives. The project was awarded to India-based JMC Projects Limited in September 2022 at a cost of USD136 million.
The project includes the development of a 2.46km runway to enable larger aircraft such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s to land at the airport. It also includes the construction of a modern terminal to accommodate 1.3 million passengers annually, as well as the construction of a cargo terminal, fuel farms, and a fire station. The project will be completed in 2024 and international flights will start operating directly to the north of the Maldives.