Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL) has revealed that a 1,200m segment of the new runway at Hanimaadhoo International Airport (HIA) is scheduled to be operational on January 28.
Managing Director of RACL Ahmed Mubeen said that the runway expansion project at HIA is progressing in three phases, with current efforts focused on different segments of the runway. He said that the first 1,200 meters of the new runway will be ready for operation by January 28, and the section will be used for night flights.
Additionally, Mubeen said that that the subbase has been successfully laid in the 300-meter stretch of the second phase of the runway development. He said that the subsequent closure of the former runway for the remaining 650 meters is planned and both sections will undergo paving simultaneously. He also reassured that the ongoing work on the runway will not disrupt flight operations.
The 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.