No bridge tolls until post-economic woes, president says
Tolls will not be implemented prior to first developing the roads of Male, resolving the parking issues, and improving the economic situation.
President Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday affirmed that charging tolls for bridge usage is not part of the current government's policy strategy.
He made the reassurance in a post on the social media platform X.
The president clarified that the commissioning of a technical-level research on charging tolls for bridge usage was included within the Male Fahi decongestion programme announced Wednesday evening to provide an advisory opinion for the president.
He detailed that even if the technical-level research suggests charging tolls for bridge usage, such a decision would not be implemented prior to first developing the roads of Male, resolving the parking issues, and improving the economic situation of the people and the nation to an acceptable level.
There was talk of charging a toll before the China-funded bridge, which links capital Male city with the airport island of Hulhule and the suburb of Hulhumale opened in September 2018. However, the later government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih decided not to charge the toll.
