Monday
23rd Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
The VIP Lounge that had been part of the Yameen administration's development plans for Velana International Airport has begun operations without being officially opened.
The VIP/CIP terminal had begun operations at 6am this morning. According to the Maldives Airports Company Limited, the terminal has a capacity for 95 concurrent passengers.
The 4-story terminal's ground floor has been dedicated to receiving foreign dignitaries. The first and second floors are reserved for VIP/CIP services, and the fourth floor is dedicated to administrative work.
In addition to the current VIP terminal, it has been planned for the building currently being used as a VIP terminal to be demolished and replaced with an additional VIP terminal.
The new VIP terminal has check-in arrangements, food, washrooms, and gender-separated prayer spaces. The terminal covers an area of 2,000 square feet, and houses three private lounges. Only one of the three lounges is currently operational.
The Yameen administration's project to develop Velana International Airport was a project worth MVR 1 billion. The project oversaw the development of a new runway; and the project's planned development of a new cargo terminal and a sea-plane terminal is currently underway.
The opposition coalition had criticised the Solih administration for the delays faced by the airport's development, and for the fact that only few of the newly-developed facilities have begun operations.
The new runway and the sea-plane terminal are still not operational.