300 slots allotted for Kudagiri opening day filled

All the slots for the first day became full as bookings opened for the Kudagiri Picnic Island, which is scheduled to open on Saturday.

The mobile application and website for Kudagiri opened for bookings at 4 p.m. on Thursday, an island which is accessible from both Male and Hulhumale. On the opening day of the island, which would normally allow 500 people a day, only 300 people are allowed.

HDC says that within half-an-hour of opening for bookings, the seats leaving the capital city are full.

On the first day, it became clear that a lot of people wanted to travel because the app and website were overwhelmed and some people couldn't access it even when they tried to make bookings. In particular, some people complained on social media that the website was overwhelmed and the website was not making bookings at all.

Mimrah Ahmed, public relations manager at HDC, told Atoll Times that the response received after opening up for bookings showed the need for a place to travel.

"The response has also shown how much people in the Male area want a picnic island. This is actually a gift from President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to the people living in the Male area," he said.

Kudagiri Picnic Island

Kudagiri is the island that the government had pledged to provide for the capital city residents to fill the void created by former President Mohamed Waheed's administration when Kuda Bandos was leased for tourism development. In order to fulfil that promise, the government first decided to declare one of the reclaimed island in K. Enboodhoo lagoon as a picnic island.