Eleven islands and 24 sandbanks are to be reclaimed from Noonu Dhigufaru under a project to be carried out in the lagoon leased for 99 years along with the Dhekenanfaru island, according to the environment impact assessment (EIA) report for the project.

Dhekenanfaru and Dhigufaru were leased to Switzerland's Yanik Robert Louis Gianadda under a cross-subsidy policy for financing government projects. Leaseholder rights for the lagoon are currently held by Crystal Holding Pvt Ltd, a company with shares owned by Gianadda and a man called Pierre Jean Claude Antoine.

According to the latest concept proposed by Crystal Holding, larger islands would be used for guest rooms and employees would stay on separate service islands. The sandbanks would not have any buildings.

Islands to be reclaimed from Dhigufaru lagoon

• Royal island - 8 hectares
• Private island 1 - 2.4 hectares
• VIP island 1 - 10.2 hectares
• VIP island 2 - 12.7 hectares
• VIP island 3 - 8.4 hectares
• Resort island 3 - 11.7 hectares
• Resort island 2 - 15 hectares
• Resort island 1 and service island - 25.7 hectares
• Private island 3 - 1.5 hectares
• Private island 2 - 1.45 hectares

No guest rooms are to be built on the Dhekenanfaru island north of Dhigufaru with the island designated for guest excursions.

Islands to be reclaimed in Dhigufaru, to be connected via walkways. -- Photo: EIA report

The proposals by the company developing the resort include building a helipad for transporting guests at the Maafaru airport in Noonu atoll. But the Civil Aviation Authority has not granted regulatory approval for this yet, the EIA report noted.

EIA highlights

• Size of Dhigufaru lagoon - 751 hectares
• Size of reclaimed area - 122 hectares
• Land reclamation to begin - April
• Reclamation period - six months
• Sand needed for reclamation - 4.2 million codemeters

The name of the resort project in Dhigufaru lagoon is Ayla Maldives.

A total of 262 rooms (524 beds) are to be built for the resort, including rooms on guest islands and water villas between the islands. An "ultra-luxury" resort would be operated on the islands, according to Crystal Holding's proposal.

The Dhekenanfaru island and Dhigufaru lagoon in Noonu atoll's western edge were leased out by the previous government to secure financing to develop a residential city in Giraavaru lagoon. According to media reports, USD 22 million was paid as the lease acquisition cost for the island and lagoon along with USD 5 million for the extension of the lease period to 99 years.

The government will earn USD 1.5 million a year as rent when the resort is operational.