President announces accelerated progress on Rasmale project
The President made the announcement during a meeting with the people of Kaafu Gulhi.
Rasmale, a key initiative aimed at solving the country’s housing crisis, is moving forward at an accelerated pace, President Mohamed Muizzu announced Sunday.
The President, who was touring the country’s atolls, cities, and islands, made the announcement during a meeting with the people of Kaafu Gulhi.
The dredging work on the Rasmale project, which had seen delays in previous years, has now resumed, with additional companies coming on board to expedite the process. In a bid to significantly speed up the work, these companies are mobilizing dredgers to undertake multiple projects simultaneously, with hopes to double or even triple the current pace of construction.
“This is the biggest solution to the housing problem in the Maldives,” President Muizzu emphasized.
He explained that the project aims to create a large, new settlement that would accommodate a significant portion of the country’s population.
“Rasmale is the largest project that will bring together the largest population on one land, and the dredging work is now actively underway,” he continued. “Last year, the project was not progressing at the required pace, but now, with more companies involved and a concerted effort, we expect the speed to increase dramatically.”
The completion of Rasmale will not only provide much-needed housing but will also create significant economic opportunities, according to the President. He expressed his confidence that the project will benefit people across the Maldives and bring a positive impact to the region.
“We are very confident that it will be of great benefit to all the people of Maldives and the region in general,” President Muizzu stated.
He further declared that 2025 would be the "Year of Housing," underscoring his administration's commitment to addressing the housing shortage.
The Rasmale’ project, which had been initially delayed, saw dredging work commence in December 2023 with Sri Lanka’s Capital Marine and Civil Construction (CMC) as the contractor. However, after a suspension of work in 2024, the project has been resumed. Notably, the government has canceled CMC’s original contract and decided to proceed without awarding land to the contractor, signaling a shift in the approach to the project’s execution.
The dredging will take place on 1,153 hectares of land near Fushidhiggaru Falhu, close to Gulhi, with the aim of completing the dredging within eight months, should the project proceed according to schedule. Once completed, Rasmale will feature 30,000 housing units of various types, offering a comprehensive solution to the ongoing housing crisis.
