Land reclamation begins to link 2 Komandoos
MTCC on Friday announced that the dredging work of the Mathikomandoo Connectivity Project has begun.
By
Ahmed Mizyal
The practical work of reclaiming land to link Sh. Komandoo with the uninhabited island of Mathikomandoo, located within the same lagoon, started on Friday.
The government announced in January 2022 during the campaign for the parliamentary by-election for the Komandoo seat that land will be reclaimed and Mathikomandoo will be linked to Komandoo through a bridge.
The project has been handed over to MTCC to be completed within two years.
The project has stalled since and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih again pledged to carry out the project when he visit the island early this month to campaign for the September 9 presidential election. The president said the two Komandoos would be linked by the end of this month
MTCC on Friday announced that the dredging work of the Mathikomandoo Connectivity Project has begun.
"The dredging work is being carried out by a chartered dredger Filippo Bruneleshi. The dredger has been mobilized to dredge Mathikomandoo after completing the dredging work in Ihavandhoo," MTCC said in a tweet.
The project linking the two Komandoos:
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The project will cost MVR 249.9 million
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483,786 square meters of sand needed for the reclamation
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Sand collected from an area of 18 square kilometres in Raa Atoll
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16.7 hectares of land will be reclaimed
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A 200-metre link will connect the dredged area to Komandoo
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The project also includes a portion of 1690 meters of shore protection rectification work
President Solih made new promises to the island during his visit to Komandoo this month.
Noting that Komandoo is a land-poor island, the President said one of the purposes of connecting the two islands is to ensure there is land for housing. Basic services are also planned to be established in Mathikomandoo, he said.
Other promises made by the president are:
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Construction of 300 housing units in Mathikomandoo over the next five years
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Conversion of the island health centre into a 30-bed hospital
