President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that more dredgers will be brought to speed up the reclamation of the Rasmale' project.
During his visit to Kaafu Gulhi island, Muizzu said that dredgers from more companies will be mobilized to fast-track the reclamation and conduct projects simultaneously.
He said the project's speed will be increased several times when many projects are conducted at the same time.
"The reclamation work is ongoing now. Hopefully, some more parties, some more companies will mobilize dredgers there and we are trying to start many projects at once. So the speed will be doubled and tripled," Muizzu said.
He added that the Rasmale' project could not be carried out at the best speed last year due to many problems, but guaranteed that the issues have now been solved.
"Last year it didn't go at the pace we wanted. A lot of problems. We had difficulties in solving a lot of things in the economy we inherited. However, hopefully, we've overcome it and now we're at the point where work is starting," he said.
Muizzu said the Rasmale' project would be the biggest solution to the housing problem in the country and that a large number of people would be populated in one region under the project.
The government plans to reclaim at least 1,153 hectares of land in the Fushi Dhiggaru Lagoon to develop the Rasmale' city.
Muizzu inaugurated the project in December 2023 and reaffirmed his pledge to complete the project within eight months of commencement.
It was awarded to Capital Marine and Civil Construction (CMCC). But the agreement to award 70 hectares of land from Rasmale' and Hulhumale' to CMCC was cancelled after the work did not proceed as planned.
The company was able to reclaim only 29 hectares which is about 2.5 percent of the total land area and received a payment of MVR 77 million.
According to the latest EIA, the project will be financed through a loan taken by Housing Development Corporation (HDC). Neither the government nor the HDC has disclosed any details about the loan.
