Nasheed supports handing over Hanimadhoo airport’s operations to Indian company

Former president Mohamed Nasheed, on Sunday night, spoke out in support of handing over the operations of Hanimaadhoo International Airport, which was recently inaugurated after major redevelopment carried out with India’s assistance, to an Indian company, citing it a good move.

Nasheed’s remarks while speaking at a campaign event of Ali Azim who is contesting for Male’ mayorship on Sunday night comes after Indian media outlet, ‘The Hindu’, on Wednesday, reported that India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, at the request of the Maldivian government, has asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to study a proposal for “engaging Indian companies” for the management of the airport. According to the report, the request was made by President Muizzu during Minister Naidu’s visit to the Maldives for the airport’s inauguration. The media outlet cited a senior official from the Ministry as its source.

However, the Maldivian government has denied the report on Friday, with Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen affirming the current administration will not hand over the operations of Hanimaadhoo International Airport, or any other airport in the Maldives, to a foreign company.

Nasheed, referring to the reports that the Maldivian government is undertaking efforts to handover the operations of Hanimaadhoo International Airport to an Indian company, expressed support for the decision, citing it as a good move.  

However, he pointed out the irony as it had been the current administration which had previously opposed such an arrangement.

Nevertheless, Nasheed stressed that he would not try impede policies by the current administration that he supports through mockery or criticism.

The former president also pointed out the state of Maldives’ main airport, Velana International Airport (VIA). In this regard, Nasheed underscored that the airport is currently running on debt, which continues to accumulate with each passing year.

He questioned whether the citizens should watch and wait for these loans to be paid off with Goods and Services Tax (GST) they pay to the state, adding that the citizens of Maldives yearn for a more prosperous life than this, with much better general conditions.

Notably, when the last administration began the development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport with assistance from India, the leadership of the current administration, which had been the opposition back then, described the project as a threat to national security. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu was also a member of the cabinet of the administration that terminated the agreement with India’s GMR for the operation of Male’ International Airport (now VIA), which had been awarded during Nasheed’s administration.

The redevelopment of Hanimaadhoo International Airport, constructed 39 years ago, was awarded to India’s JMC Projects for USD 136.6 million. Prior to the redevelopment of the airport, it was only capable of accommodating ATR Dash aircrafts.

The upgraded airport includes a 2,465-metre runway capable of handling narrow-body aircraft, a 10,300-square-metre terminal designed to serve 1.3 million passengers annually, a fuel farm, cargo terminal, and the Maldives’ first aerobridge at an atoll airport.