Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has revealed that the development of Thilafushi Phase II has commenced with dredging operations.
China-based Harbour Engineering Company Limited was awarded the dredging operations for the project to develop Thilafushi in Kaafu Atoll, as an industrial hub. HDC stated the dredging operations are currently in progress as part of the government's efforts to find solutions to the existing problems in the industrial sector. As such, a bund wall is currently being constructed as part of the dredging of 20 hectares of land in Area C. The dredging operations will be carried out in three phases.
HDC will be reclaiming 150 hectares and opening 60% of the land plots to businesses. Currently, over 200 businesses are operating in Thilafushi. The lagoon was first reclaimed in 1991 and made into a waste management site, and has since been repeatedly reclaimed to increase its land area to 100 hectares. The last reclamation project in 2016 added 22 hectares. A large part of Thilafalhu has still not been reclaimed and the government has decided to make the area an industrial hub.
HDC will be undertaking the dredging, reclamation, and shore protection of an area of 160 hectares allocated as Thilafushi Phase II. The area will be distributed into six different zones, including zones for major and minor industrial works. An area will also be allocated for the development of a liquified natural gas plant. Furthermore, zones will be allocated for mixed offices and small businesses.