India's JMC Projects Ltd. has been contracting with HDh. Hanimaadhoo Airport Development project.

A press release by Economic Ministry said that the project was awarded to JMC for USD 136,625,386 (MVR 2.1bn), and work on the project will commence later this year, to be completed and made operational in 2023.

The project is carried out under the Line of Credit agreement that was signed between the government and Exit Bank of India. The project will see the development of a 2.46km runway, and a passenger terminal with the capacity to service 1.3 million tourists annually.

Economic Ministry said that Hanimaadhoo Airport would provide services with A230 Airbus and Boeing 737 aircrafts once completed. The ministry added that the airport would have the capacity for direct flights from Middle East, South and South East Asia as well as North Africa.

The ministry added that one of the challenges for tourism development in the north of Maldives is the unavailability of operating direct international flights to the north which makes travelling to the Maldives more expensive.

Economic Ministry also added that the development of the Hanimaadhoo Airport will provide more business and job opportunities in the region. The ministry further added that this would also open opportunities for fish exportation from the northern region.