Nasheed criticizes government's airport plans as economically unviable

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has strongly criticized the government's strategy of constructing multiple airports in close proximity, asserting that the policy is economically unsustainable and will force the Maldives’ national airline to incur "unmanageable" expenses.

The criticism comes as the government commences work on developing new airports in Shaviyani Atoll. Nasheed specifically noted that these new airports in the northern region are being built so close to one another that they are only accessible by a speedboat ride of between 19 and 36 minutes.

Nasheed argued that this will render all the new airports economically unviable. He warned that, in addition to burdening the national airline with prohibitive costs, the proximity will prevent local tourism from realizing its necessary benefits.

The former Speaker of Parliament stated that the continuous development of airports within short speedboat distance of each other demonstrates a fundamental lack of a coherent plan and target for the country’s integrated transportation system, indicating a serious lapse in governmental responsibility.

Currently, Shaviyani Atoll has only one functioning airport, located in Funadhoo. However, during the President’s visit to Sh. Atoll this week, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu officially launched the practical development work for three new airports in the atoll: Bilehfahi, Komandoo, and Milandhoo.

Furthermore, with development underway for the Komandoo airport, the government has also announced plans to begin work this year on a new airport in Raa Atoll's Alifushi, an island situated in close proximity to Komandoo.