Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar has said that none of the housing projects pledged by the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) during the presidential campaign have started.
In response to a question by Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad in Parliament today, Haidar said the housing projects were stalled when the new government took over last year.
He claimed that new projects can only be launched after resolving the problems in the projects started by the former government.
"So you don't see us starting a new project somewhere and carrying it out. However, I can assure you that a major housing project will be started before the end of this year," Haidar told the Parliament.
During the campaign, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu pledged to implement housing projects in many islands.
However, the country's economic situation has worsened and various development projects in the islands have been suspended. No new projects, especially housing projects, have been launched on any island.
The opposition has been criticizing the government due to this. They allege that the government is not doing enough to solve the housing crisis. However, the government has previously denied the allegations.
No date for handing over of Gulhifalhu land
Meanwhile, Haidar told Parliament today that the government does not know when the land plots awarded from Gulhifalhu can be handed over to the people.
He said the date cannot be confirmed as Gulhifalhu land reclamation has not been completed and the area is being used for the Thilamale' bridge project.
"However, at the moment we have not even completed the reclamation of Gulhifalhu land. Then the other issue is that the Gulhifalhu is currently being used for bridge works and I have been informed that the site will be vacated by September next year," he said.
The area where land plots were allocated by the former government was completely reclaimed in April. The area that has not been completed is a part added to Gulhifalhu by the current government.
Haidar said he does not know when the reclamation on the new area will start but that discussions were underway to award the project to Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).
Hulhumale' Phase 3 land can be handed over in November
Haidar also said that land plots allocated from the newly reclaimed Hulhumale' Phase 3 are expected to be handed over in November.
He said that the former government had given 699 plots of land from the lagoon and this government would hand over the land after reclamation.
“The practical work of handing over the land after the completion of Phase Three is expected to start by November this year,” he said.
The reclamation work is still underway. After an interruption, the work resumed on June 24. The remaining 40 hectares of the total 63 hectares of land to be reclaimed will be finished in the coming months.
The minister did not respond clearly to many questions in Parliament today. The session was also heated and four opposition MPs were ordered to leave the chamber.
