The domestic airport being developed in Hoarafushi island of Haa Alif atoll will be completed by November 8, says the project’s contractor, Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).

In an exclusive interview to RaajjeTV, the company’s Managing Director and CEO, Adam Azim revealed that the project is proceeding as scheduled and that all of the components of the project will be completed by the given deadline.

Laborers in the project are working at the site on a round-the-clock basis and the contractor has ensured that the schedule in arranged in a way that ensures balance, said Azim who went on to reveal that other employees will be brought in to ensure that the laborers are not overworked. As such, MTCC’s skilled laborers and technical employees will arrive at the island on Saturday.

In addition to MTCC laborers, about 80 more workers from the island are involved in the airport development project.

MTCC revealed that the airport runway, taxi way and apron development component of the project is at 95 percent completion, with the development of the airport terminal and fire building at 35 percent progression.

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation had contracted the runway, taxi way and apron development component to MTCC on March 25 last year. The development of the airport terminal and fire building were contracted to MTCC on September 12, 2020. MTCC has since revealed that the latter will cost about MVR 13.8 million.

On Thursday, Azim, along with Minister of State for National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Akram Kamaludeen and MP for Hoarafushi constituency Ahmed Saleem, visited the island to inspect the progress of the project.

The airport was initially planned to be built in Maafinolhu by the previous administration of now incarcerated former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, and it was assigned to MTCC on March 25, 2019. The airport development project is worth MVR 198 million.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih inaugurated the construction work on March 31, 2019.

The project includes the construction of a runway measuring 1,200 meters, an apron and taxiway measuring 8,635 square meters, a parking area measuring 9,473 square meters as well as service roads in front of the terminal, said the company.

The government is set to inaugurate the completed airport on November 11.