A land area of 12 hectares has been reclaimed in Kulhudhuffushi island of Haa Dhaalu atoll.

The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has been assigned to reclaim a total of 15 hectares, for the development of an airport in the island.

According to Kulhudhuffushi Counil, six hectares of land has been reclaimed from the island’s sea area, as well as six hectares from the mangrove area.

Nine hectares of the land is to be filled from the island’s mangrove area; the government’s decision to reclaim the mangrove area was received with immense criticism from the public.

MTCC informs that all the reclamation work will we completed within the coming week.

Practical work on the project commenced in November 12, with the assurance that the reclamation work will be completed within a month’s time. While MTCC’s newly acquired dredger, Mahaa Jarraafu, is being utilized for the project, the work is being carried out during daytime only.

The government expects to complete all the necessary work and continue services at the Kulhudhuffushi airport by mid-2018.

A case regarding the government’s decision to reclaim the Kulhudhuffushi mangrove has been filed at the Civil Court. The case filed by Ecocare Maldives, against Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and Environment Ministry, seeks a stay order on all procedures and processes involving the reclamation of mangrove and construction of airport in the island, citing that procedures set by the two bodies were not being followed.