Dredging Work for Dhidhdhoo Airport Development to Begin Next Week

Dredging work for the development of an airport in HA. Dhidhdhoo is set to begin early next week, announced the Dhidhdhoo Council. The council has issued a final warning to boat owners on the island’s western shoreline to relocate their vessels from the designated dredging area. Council President Abdul Waheed stated that the western side of the lagoon will be dredged to create land for the airport, as well as for industrial activities and land allocation. Physical work on the airport is expected to commence once reclamation is completed. A foreign vessel carrying necessary machinery and equipment is scheduled to arrive in Dhidhdhoo on January 4, 2026. Despite multiple notices issued in mid-October and early December, some residents continue to moor their vessels near the project zone. During a visit earlier this year, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu emphasized the airport's importance in regional development, pledging swift progress. MTCC was contracted in April 2023 for the Dhidhdhoo airport project, valued at MVR 257.21 million, which includes land reclamation, coastal protection, and construction of a 1,500-meter runway, terminal, fire station, and administrative building. However, practical work has not yet commenced. Dhidhdhoo currently relies on Hanimaadhoo International Airport for air connectivity, with the island accessed by sea from Hanimaadhoo.