Male: Maldives on Tuesday asserted that it would go ahead with the takeover of the Male International Airport from GMR later this week and said they along with the Indian firm had "worked out" a plan to hand over the running of the airport "without any hiccups". "Yes, we will go ahead with the takeover of the Airport as planned and on schedule," President Mohamed Waheed's press secretary Masood Imad said.
However, the Indian infrastructure major has denied that any deal for handing over the airport project has been worked out with Maldives.
Asked if the government would rope in police or military since GMR had earlier said it would continue to operate the airport, Imad said, "At this moment I do not see the possibility of having to apply any type of force, or police intervention."
"The Acting Minister of Transport is in touch with the senior officials of GMR operations in the Airport and together they have worked out a plan to hand over the running of the airport without any hiccups," he said.
However, GMR Male International Airport CEO Andrew Harrison said that no deal had been worked out but said a meeting did take place on Tuesday with the Maldivian authorities over the issue.
"The Singapore High Court has issued an injunction which clearly prevents MACL or the government of Maldives or any of its agents from taking any action that interferes with GMIAL operating the airport."
"We remain resolute in our position and there is no question of an offer being made and certainly no question of any alleged offer being accepted as we will simply not agree to our rights, nor the injunction being undermined in any way," he said.
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