Sunday
24th Nov 2024
Dhivehi Edition
MACL MD Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed speaks at VIA cargo terminal opening ceremony.
The new passenger terminal at Velana International Airport (VIA) will be operational by the end of this year, Maldives Airports Company Ltd. (MACL) Managing Director, Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed said.
Speaking on 'Sangu TV' yesterday, Shareef said the biggest project currently underway at the VIA is the operationalization of the new passenger terminal. The President, Dr. Muizzu, has requested that the facility be operationalized as soon as possible, he said.
The terminal will have a capacity of seven million passengers. However, under the third phase of the development of Velana Airport, a terminal with a capacity of 25 million passengers will be established.
"We are aiming for the end of this year. Hopefully, as President Dr. Muizzu said, most of the airport terminal will be operational by the end of this year," Shareef said.
The new passenger terminal is now being opened in various sections to serve 25 million passengers. The President's vision includes expanding the economic zone of the entire airport along with the expansion of the VIA.
The new cargo terminal at the VIA was completed and officially opened on Monday. It has a storage capacity of 12,0000 metric tons of cargo at a time.
With that, besides making the new passenger terminal operational, the next steps, Shareef said, are the completion and opening of the new fuel farm, power upgrading project and the new fire station.