A total of 21 hectares of land has been reclaimed so far under the land reclamation project for the construction of an airport in Dhidhdhoo, Haa Alifu Atoll.
The reclamation work is being carried out by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).
Under the project, a total of 115 hectares of land will be added to the island. Reclamation works commenced on 5 January, and with 21 hectares reclaimed to date, 18.75 per cent of the total project has now been completed.
Officials said the dredger being used for the Dhidhdhoo reclamation is among the largest in the world. The train suction hopper dredger, named Leiv Eriksson, has a capacity of 46,000 cubic metres. It is the third dredger deployed by the government to accelerate land reclamation works.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu visited Dhidhdhoo last year, where he met residents and reiterated development pledges made during the presidential election campaign. The president said such pledges were made with confidence in their feasibility.
He described the airport project as a key component of Dhidhdhoo’s medium- and long-term development plan, as well as the broader development strategy for the entire atoll. As pledged, the project has now commenced and is progressing at a rapid pace.
The land reclamation project for the airport is expected to address longstanding challenges related to land scarcity in Dhidhdhoo, airport development, and housing land allocation. Once completed, the project will effectively double the size of the existing island.