The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company expects the airport project under development on the island of Magoodhoo in Faafu Atoll to be completed ahead of other ongoing regional airport initiatives, the state-owned contractor has confirmed.
Speaking on a joint broadcast by Television Maldives and the Voice of Maldives on Saturday, MTCC Managing Director Ahmed Saudee stated that civil works on Magoodhoo Airport are moving ahead at a steady pace and are positioned to conclude earlier than other sites currently under construction across the archipelago.
Status across regional sites
According to MTCC, the Magoodhoo project is currently the most advanced among regional aviation developments managed by the company. In contrast, Saudee noted that the planned airport development on Makunudhoo in Haa Dhaalu Atoll remains in its preliminary phase, with physical works having commenced only recently.
Saudee also reviewed timelines for other active regional airstrips:
"Magoodhoo Airport is progressing rapidly and will be finished earliest among our ongoing projects. Makunudhoo is at a very early stage, while other sites have specific technical requirements being addressed," Saudee explained during the broadcast.
On Alifushi in Raa Atoll, MTCC confirmed that the airport runway requires additional expansion and dredging before paving can proceed. Meanwhile, dredging work at Guraidhoo Airport in Thaa Atoll has reached near completion. Once MTCC finishes its contracted civil works in Guraidhoo, the remaining terminal and airfield operational components will be transferred to Maldives Airports Company Limited.
Project scope and background
Magoodhoo Airport is valued at approximately MVR 232 million. The development was initially designed to serve domestic passenger traffic and was later expanded to include executive infrastructure, including a dedicated VIP lounge terminal, fuel storage farm, and aircraft parking apron.
Work on the airfield was temporarily halted in March 2024 before resuming later that year following technical adjustments. The government has prioritized regional air links to reduce travel times between outer island communities and the capital, while facilitating tourism transfers to newly opened resorts and local guesthouses across central atolls.
