First phase of VIA Taxiway Charlie redevelopment completed ahead of schedule

The first phase of renovation works on the former runway at Velana International Airport (VIA), now functioning as Taxiway Charlie, has been completed.

The redevelopment contract for Taxiway Charlie was awarded to China’s BUCG in October 2024, with physical works beginning on 10 April. According to Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), the project is being implemented in four phases.

The first phase was completed and handed over on Thursday, 84 days ahead of the initial schedule.

History of Taxiway Charlie:

• The 3,200-metre strip was first developed in 1976 as the airport’s original runway.
• In 1981, the runway was upgraded to accommodate widebody aircraft.
• It has since undergone several extensions and repairs.
• Following the 2004 tsunami, the runway sustained heavy damage and required urgent repairs.
• In 2016, the top layer of the runway was fully replaced at a cost of USD 15 million.
• The runway was converted to a taxiway in October 2022, after the USD 150 million Code-F runway was commissioned.

MACL has not disclosed the cost of the current redevelopment project. However, reports have suggested an estimated expenditure of about USD 200 million, which MACL has neither confirmed nor denied.