Gulhifalhu plots handover after bridge completion, Haider says

Housing Minister Dr Ali Haider has said that the handover of land allocated from Gulhi under the previous government's Binnveriyaa Scheme is being delayed because the site is being used for the construction of the Thilamale Bridge.

He said this in Parliament on Monday, summoned to question the progress of the allocation of land to recipients under the Binnveriya Scheme and the flats under the Gedhoruveriya Scheme, run by former President Ibrahim Mohamed SOlih’s government.

Haider said the dredging of the lagoon will not start until the bridge work is completed, as the site is being used. The Construction Ministry has said that the site will be vacated in September next year, he said.

Haider said it would not be easy to mark the land plots while heavy vehicles are being used.

“The perimeter corners of the previously marked plots have been completely destroyed as a result,” Haider said.

The previously allocated land was also not allocated properly, he said. Therefore, a land use plan is being prepared and approved, he said.

He added that there will be further delays as some of the people who got land from Giraavaru lagoon will also have to transfer their land to Gulhi lagoon.

The government has decided to transfer 1,347 plots of land allocated from Giraavaru lagoon to Gulhi under the Binnveriya Scheme.

"The land cannot be handed over until the land is dredged. That is another thing to note," Haider said.

"So once the land is dredged, there are still 85 hectares to be dredged. Once that part is dredged, the land will be handed over”.

Discussions are underway with MTCC to dredge the Gulhi lagoon, he said. Therefore, he said it is difficult to say the exact date on which the land will be allocated.

The dredging of the Gulhi lagoon began in June 2020 under the Main Commercial Port Relocation Project. As the presidential election approached, then President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih decided to reserve part of the area for land for the residents of Male.

This government had last said that 100 hectares of the 150 hectares of land has already been dredged. The dredging work is being carried out under an agreement with Boskalis.

Timeline of the Gulhi lagoon Port Project:

The funds for the reclamation of the Giraavaru lagoon were raised by selling N.Dhigufaru lagoon and its adjacent island of Dhekennafaru for USD 27 million (MVR 416 million) to a Swiss company for 99 years. 

When Boskalis was awarded the land without a bid, some experts in the field said the costs would run high due to the depth of some parts of the lagoon.

The government has also decided to dredge another 50 hectares from Giraavaru lagoon and another 85 hectares from Gulhi lagoon.