Preparations underway to vacate Equator Village block

Preparations are in progress to vacate an accommodation block within the Equator Village premises in Gan, Addu City, which has been identified as an obstacle to the ongoing Gan Airport development project.

Addu City Mayor Ali Nizar confirmed that the company operating Equator Village has informed the Addu City Council of the planned relocation.

The accommodation block, currently used by resort employees, lies within the designated boundary for the new road infrastructure planned under the Gan Airport development.

The Addu City Council and the Gan Airport Airport company have both raised concerns regarding the location of the structure. Mayor Nizar held a meeting with the owners of Equator Village yesterday to address the issue.

Following the meeting, the mayor stated that the company assured him a permanent solution would be implemented. He added that preparations are underway to vacate the building in question. Nizar called on government agencies to allow space for the issue to be resolved without taking actions that may impact the business operations of Equator Village.

He noted that the investment climate in Addu remains challenging and warned that any premature action could cause long-term harm to the local economy.

The Gan Airport Operating Company has claimed that the area currently used by Equator Village forms part of the land allocated for airport development and should be under the control of the airport company.

Kaimoo, the company operating Equator Village, has stated it has been running the property for over two decades under a valid lease agreement with the Ministry of Tourism. According to the company, the agreement includes the full resort grounds, which cover areas adjacent to the planned road development.

The areas affected by the proposed road include core operational facilities such as the staff accommodation block, kitchen, staff mess, laundry, garage, recreation space, and a guest squash court. The company maintains that these facilities are essential to the daily operations of the resort.

In response to the dispute, the Gan Airport company issued a statement clarifying that it has not requested the complete evacuation of the resort premises. It stated that only specific rooms have been marked for vacating, and the locations were shown to Equator Village representatives during an on-site inspection.