Govt announces 14 projects to develop new resorts in atolls
According to the ministry, bidding for the islands will be opened next week.
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Government on Friday announced plans to initiate 14 projects to build resorts in atolls.
Islands and lagoons will be auctioned next week to build resorts in eight atolls under the project. According to the tourism ministry, the focus of the round will be to increase the volume of traffic to domestic airports in the atolls and expand tourism in the atolls.
The current government had auctioned islands three times in the past to build resorts.
The list released by the tourism ministry on Friday did not mention the names of the islands to be auctioned for the construction of resorts. However, the number of atolls and islands to be auctioned include:
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HA. and HDh. atolls - Three projects (three islands)
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R. Atoll - One project (one island, with a lagoon)
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K. Atoll - One project (one lagoon)
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M. Atoll - One project (one island)
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F. Atoll - Two projects (two lagoons)
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Th. Atoll - One project (two islands)
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GA. Atoll - Two projects (two islands)
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GDh. Atoll - Three projects (six islands)
According to the ministry, bidding for the islands will be opened next week.
The announcement comes two days after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih inaugurated the re-development of HDh. Hanimaadhoo International Airport.
President Solih and Indian external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar, who was in the Maldives on a two-day visit, inaugurated the project, which is being developed under a loan of USD 136.6 million (MVR 2.1 billion) from Exim Bank of India.
The project has been awarded to JMC Exports, a major infrastructure company in India. The airport is being developed as follows:
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The airport will be operational by 2024
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A new 2.46-km runway will be set up
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A state-of-the-art new terminal will be built to cater to 1.3 million passengers a year
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Airbus A320 and Boeing 737s will be able to operate at Hanimaadhoo airport
