The government has announced plans to develop the Gan International Airport with the capacity to serve 1.5 million tourists on an annual basis.

This was announced during the presidential address, delivered by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during the inaugural sitting of the People’s Majlis on Thursday morning.

In his address, President Solih stated that road work is being carried out to rectify the flooding issues in southernmost Addu City, with the line-of-credit provided by the Exim Bank of India.

Under the project, 107 kilometers of road will be planted in every residential district of the southernmost city, and in accordance with the Addu City Development Plan, the president revealed that 236.5 hectares of land will be reclaimed, including land designated specifically for tourism.

The government has allocated more than MVR 2.6 million on these development projects.

Shedding light on the government’s pledge to ensure connectivity between islands, President Solih stated that the government is working to establish a network of high-speed ferries to fulfil the pledge.

On Thursday, the government transported speedboats to Kulhudhuffushi City, with a trial run of the ferry service carried out in a bid to link the entirety of the northernmost atoll of Boduthiladhunmathi.

Noting that international cargo services are currently fully operational in regional ports across the Maldives, the president revealed that supplies and rations are delivered by the state’s shipping company to the northernmost regions of the island nation.

President Solih noted with pride, that this is an industry that took off in the Maldives, as the rest of the world remained in a standstill due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government launched the service to ensure that no island was faced with a scarcity of staples and medicines during the challenging times of Covid-19 and it has proven to be a new beginning for the country, since.

Within a short period of time, the state shipping company reached incredible levels, having recently expanded its fleet with the purchase of an additional cargo vessel and even having announced maritime training opportunities for locals in order to build capacity in this industry.

The president stated that the revival of the shipping industry certainly stands a reminder of the history of the country’s seafaring history.

Further, he noted that the Thilamalé Bridge currently being constructed as part of the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, is the “biggest” of its kinds that has ever been carried out in the Maldives.

The government has officially launched the work on the project and remains hopeful that the bridge will make the lives of every citizen living in the capital region, easier and more efficient and will pave the way for multiple positive economic and social impacts.