Maldives Airport Company Limited (MACL) on Wednesday said operations at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) are not being affected by the ongoing land reclamation work.
The INIA development project is one of the mega projects undertaken by the Government. The first phase of the two-phase project would see the development of a 3,400-meter long 65-meter wide new runway. 63 hectares of land will reclaimed under the project, adding 30% more land to the airport. The project is contracted to Dubai-based Gulf Cobla, and reclamation work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
MACL said operations at the airport were not affected by the land reclamation work. Adil Moosa, MACL Managing Director, told PSM News that 9 hectares of land have been reclaimed so far, adding that careful planning ensured that the airport operations were not hindered in any way by the project. He said the project requires many technical studies as the new runway is being developed to the highest standards, capable of accommodating some of the biggest commercial aircraft.
With the completion of the new runway, the existing runway would be transformed into a taxiway. The project would also see the development of a cargo complex and a fuel farm.
The US$800 million airport development project is contracted to China-based Beijing Urban Construction Group.