Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has officially been handed the land reclamation project for the "Hoarafushi Airport" to be developed in Haa Alif atoll Maafinolhu.

The land reclamation project was handed to MTCC at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Tourism on Monday.

In the ceremony joined by Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer, relevant documents in the land reclamation project had been signed by senior officials of MTCC.

Speaking at the ceremony, Zameer said that the surveys and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) needed for the development of Hoarafushi Airport in Maafinolhu, will be completed within this week.

The minister further said that after the assessment is complete and the project is approved, work to reclaim land in Maafinolhu will begin.

However, they have not planned to connect Maafinolhu and Hoarafushi in this project. MTCC plans to reclaim land for the runway and land needed to construct the airport.

Even so, Zameer had highlighted in the ceremony that said islands are included under the lands to be reclaimed and connected under the iHaven project.

"We are commencing this airport development project as it is needed, even though the iHaven project has not begun yet. So, the state will be deciding how to connect the reclaimed land to the regions under the iHaven project. It is needed to take coastal sand from the region within the land reclamation for the airport" said Zameer, speaking to some media outlets.

MTCC said that 16 hectares of land are allocated for this project, adding that the estimated cost for this project is MVR 64 million without Goods and Service Tax (GST). Coast protection is also to be established under the project.