Government has signed an agreement with India’s JMC Projects for the redevelopment of Hanimaadhoo International Airport, which is one of the largest investments ever to be conducted outside the Greater Male’ Region.
The contract for the development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport was signed on Sunday evening during a special ceremony.
According to Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer, the project will revolutionise the economy of northernmost atolls as well as the entire country. The minister said the development being brought by the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in various sectors and islands in the Maldives is bigger and more comprehensive than in previous years despite the challenges facing the global economy.
The project to redevelop Hanimaadhoo International Airport was awarded to India’s JMC Projects at a cost of US$ 136 million to be completed within 2 years. 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 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.
