A new 1,200 meter runway built as part of the project to develop and modernize the Haa Dhaal Hanimaadhoo International Airport is finished and ready for use this month, Regional Airports Company Ltd (RACL) Managing Director Ahmed Mubeen has said.

Speaking to Adhadhu, Mubeen said the airport development was progressing at a good speed and that construction of 1,200 meters of the new runway was nearing completion. After finishing work is done, permission for landing flights is expected to be granted within about 25 days, he said.

Once the new runway is operationalized, the old runway will be closed and work will begin on the rest of the new runway, which overlaps with the old one. The existing runway at the Hanimaadhoo airport is also 1,200 meters. When the airport development is complete, the length of the runway will be a total of 2,460 meters.

Construction of the new runway, which can accommodate large jets, was carefully planned and undertaken without closing the airport. The work was divided into three segments to avoid completely closing down the runway.

“The old runway will be closed. After closing, boats will start landing in the new runway in the coming 25 days or so at the latest. Then what’s left is a 300 meter part of the runway. For that part as well, apart from the top finishing layer, other layers needed for laying tar have been finished,” Mubeen said.

According to RACL, work on the Hanimaadhoo airport’s new runway will be fully completed in the second quarter of 2024, after which it will be opened for 24-hour use.

Mubeen said work on other segments of the airport is progressing fast. An RACL team including Mubeen recently visited India to approve items needed for the terminal’s finishing work, he said.

“We came back after approving everything needed for the terminal’s interior except for the roof. The roof will be built in Dubai. A team will go to Dubai during this month to approve the roof. The contractor covers expenses for these trips,” Mubeen said.

Hanimaadhoo airport development update:

• 29.1 percent of work completed on terminal
• 73.7 percent of work completed on roads and pavements
• 42.4 percent of work completed on air traffic control tower
• 49.8 percent of work completed on flight hanger
• 56.4 percent of work completed on cargo block
• 57.1 percent of work completed on utility block
• 9 percent of work completed on fuel farm and fuel jetty

The Hanimaadhoo airport development is a large-scale project launched by the previous government in January last year. The project is financed by loan assistance from the Indian EXIM Bank.

A 2,400-meter runway and a terminal with the capacity to serve 1.3 million passengers are to be developed under the project. Other facilities needed for expanding international flights are also to be established as part of the project.

When the project is complete, the airport will be able to serve the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 planes used for international travel.