Undersea tunnel to link Male, Rasmale, president says
The Fushidhiggaru lagoon’s land reclamation project started on December 19.
By
Aishath Fareeha Abdulla
An underwater tunnel will connect Rasmale and Male, President Mohamed Muizzu said on Monday evening.
The President said the tunnel would be the first of its kind in the world.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the mayor and councilors who won the by-election of the Male City Council, President Muizzu announced his plan to connect Male and Ras Male.
The President said innovative efforts have been launched to connect Male and Rasmale and discussions have been held with capable companies.
"The first underwater tunnel in the world will be established to connect Male to Ras Male. The tunnel will be a tunnel that will provide beautiful views of the sea," Muizzu said.
The President said feasibility work has been started with companies that have the capacity to do the work.
"This is a major tourism project. This will increase the number of tourists to Maldives many times over," he said.
"Hopefully, people will live in the Male area in connected places”.
The Fushidhiggaru lagoon’s land reclamation project started on December 19 last year.
With a distance of about 17 minutes from Male by boat, the dredging of the Fushidhiggaru lagoon near Gulhi was scheduled to be completed within eight months.
Ras Male will be developed two meters high on the edges and three meters high in the centre to protect it from climate change.
A Chinese company has been signed in to provide basic services there.
