Ameenee Magu redevelopment resumes; more trees removed
Braille blocks will be installed on pavements to facilitate the blind.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
After work was stalled, work on Ameenee Magu resumed on Saturday and more trees on the stretch were removed.
Due to delay in availability of some resources, the project had slowed down. Work on the project resumed on Saturday again and the second segment was started, according to the Road Development Corporation (RDC), which is executing the project.
For the second segment of work, the road has been blocked till Kalaafaanu School. They are in the process of removing trees and stones in the area.
Earlier, the road was blocked from the middle of Dharubaaruge to the street where La Vera Pizzeria is located.
The RDC had earlier said that the project was stalled as the planning ministry had requested for a stay on the construction of the road as it did not have the necessary resources to upgrade the services provided by MWSC.
On 3 July, the Planning Ministry entrusted the RDC to complete the Ameenee Magu development work under the 'Male Streetscaping Project' for MVR 84.4 million, to be completed within 210 days. RDC closed the area near Dharubaaruge and started work on the project on 12 September.
According to the RDC, the road will be constructed at a state-of-the-art level. Thus, on the route:
-
1.79 kilometres of asphalt to be laid on the road
-
Bus stops and parking zones will be established
-
Street lights to be installed
-
Tree pits will be placed to make the road greener
-
Cable trays will be installed on two sides of the road
-
Junctions to be placed for HV cables
-
Wheelchair access
-
Braille blocks will be installed on pavements to facilitate the blind
-
Traffic signs and bumpers will be built
-
Water drainage systems will be established
The potholes and uneven lay of Ameenee Magu is a complaint of many people who find it difficult to drive on the road, and if it rains, the road gets flooded quickly.
Among public criticism aimed at the felling of old shady trees lining Ameenee Magu in the streetscaping project, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has identified some worrying factors.
