Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail has said the government will make efforts to complete the redevelopment of Hanimaadhoo International Airport before the end of the current presidential term. He made the statement at the handover ceremony of the redevelopment of Hanimaadhoo International Airport to JMC Projects Limited of India.
The agreement for the redevelopment of the airport was signed by Managing Director of Regional Airports Company Limited Mohamed Rizvi and Vice President of JMC Projects Limited K. S. Reddy.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Fayyaz revealed the government began efforts to redevelop Hanimaaduhoo International Airport since President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took office in 2018. He said the government held discussions with India and was assured the Maldives would receive assistance in the redevelopment of the airport. He said investor interest in the northernmost atolls in the Maldives is already increasing with the launch of the project. He added the practical work of redeveloping the airport will start within the next few months.
The project to redevelop Hanimaadhoo lnternational Airport 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. It includes developing 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 government has said the completion of the project will result in an increase in tourist arrivals in the northern atolls, which will result in more job opportunities and benefit local businesses. The government has stated that one of the biggest challenges facing the development of tourism in the north of Maldives is the lack of direct flights to the region carrying tourists from all over the world and the high cost of transportation required to visit the region.
The government believes that the completion of the Hanimaadhoo International Airport development project will greatly facilitate the expansion of tourism by increasing the number of resorts, city hotels, and guesthouses. The project is expected to increase business and employment opportunities in the northern provinces. The development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport will also play an important role in implementing the government's plans to establish a modern maritime hub in the north of the country that will provide services to large cargo ships travelling along the main shipping routes of the world.