Gasim pledges to link Naifaru, Hinnavaru via bridge

Four islands between Hinnavaru and Naifaru will be connected by a bridge and the islands designated a city, JP presidential candidate Gasim Ibrahim pledged on Wednesday.

Gasim arrived in Lh. Naifaru on Wednesday for the September 9 presidential election campaign. He said he was unable to visit Hinnavaru during the trip to the atoll, and relayed what he wished to say to Hinnavaru residents in an video recorded at the airport.

There are three islands between Hinnavaru and Naifaru. They are Gaavelifaru, Felivaru and Madivaru, which is home to the airport in the atoll.

Gasim said if the islands are linked by a bridge, they will benefit greatly in terms of development.

"If I had made it to Hinnavaru, I had planned it [to share this news]. There are three islands from Hinnavaru to Naifaru. They are Madivaru, Felivaru and Gaavelifaru. There is a bit of a deep sea channel between each of these, measuring 300 metres or so," he said.

"God willing, I will link these places together via a bridge."

Gasim said the bridge will also facilitate transportation and the cost will not be too high.

“Then there will be an opportunity to turn this place into a city,” he said.

Linking Naifaru and Hinnavaru is also a promise of this government.

Former president Mohamed Nasheed had also promised to link the two islands via a bridge during his  tenure.