The newly developed Muli Airport will drive economic growth and regional progress to the entire Meemu Atoll, Parliamentarian and Deputy Parliament Speaker Ahmed Nazim has said.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday formally inaugurated Muli Airport, marking a pivotal moment for Meemu Atoll as it welcomes its first aviation facility. The milestone concludes a decades-long pursuit of enhanced air connectivity for the region.
Speaking at the airport inauguration ceremony, Nazim highlighted the significant efforts of President Dr Muizzu to overcome the challenges encountered in obtaining the necessary resources to complete the project.
According to Nazim, the new airport will not only ease air travel for people of the region but also act as a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity for the entire Atoll.
"We had to arrange medical evacuations by speedboat before this. But now this will offer much needed relief as we can now airlift patients. Then there are two resorts in this Atoll with a third under development. So this airport will also pave the way for economic growth,” he added.
Besides the airport, Nazim also alluded to the several development projects in the pipeline for the Atoll, expressing hope that the five year term of President Dr Muizzu will bring much needed progress and development to the region.
The push to develop Muli Airport gained momentum in 2021, when the government awarded the project contract to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). Construction began in August of that year, following an agreement signed on 28 February 2021, with an investment of more than USD 12.97 million.
The airport's development required extensive land reclamation; 40 hectares previously reclaimed from the southeastern side of the island and an additional 14 hectares allocated around the runway. Its infrastructure includes a 1,200-metre-long, 30-metre-wide runway, a taxiway, and an aircraft apron. A modern passenger terminal, a control tower, and supporting operational facilities complete the project.