Maldives Airports Company Limited has begun laying the second asphalt layer on the new runway of Velana International Airport (VIA). The one billion dollar mega project of expanding VIA includes the development of a new runway.
Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) aims to complete the construction of the new runway by July and begin test flights on the runway in August. Laying the first asphalt layer on the new runway was completed during April, said MACL. The new runway development project is funded by a loan from the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China, aims to establish a new runway, measuring 3,400 metres in length and 60 metres in width, which can accommodate the largest airplanes such as Airbus A380.
The expansion project of VIA is one of the government's mega projects. With the number of tourist arrivals increasing annually and surpassing 1 million, the government is looking to expand the main international airport in Maldives. In this regard, VIA is expanding its capacity to cater to expected increase in passenger traffic over the coming years. The mega project is developed aiming to increase the current 4.5 million passenger capacity airport to cater to 7.5 million passengers.