The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has decided to set up temporary parking arrangements near the new international passenger terminal at the Velana International Airport after the old parking zone was shut down due to security concerns with the opening of the new terminal in July.
The decision to shut down the parking zone sparked complaints from the airport’s employees, as well as the hundreds of people who visit the airport each day.
In a circular to employees on Thursday, the MACL said it decided to implement certain changes over potential risks of using the area to the west of the new terminal as a parking zone.
But the MACL acknowledged the inconvenience it was causing the airport’s customers, employees, other institutions and companies, and announced that it has therefore decided to create a parking zone in front of the new terminal.
According to MACL, the parking zone will be opened next week, and the use of it will be subject to a specific set of rules.
MACL said that it was working to address the parking issues at the airport by installing traffic lights at the link road to improve access to the parking zone in the east of the airport for vehicles coming in from Male’ and Hulhumale’, and increasing the frequency of bus and ferries to the airport.
The parking zones at VIA were temporarily shut down on July 17, in preparation for the opening of the new terminal on July 26. The parking zones remain closed nearly two months since, raising concern from the hundreds of people who travel to the airport daily for work and to see off or pick up loved ones.