President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has marked the completion of the land reclamation project in Addu City. The completion of the reclamation project is a significant step towards the government's efforts to transform Addu into a vibrant global city.
The Addu City Land Reclamation Project was awarded to Van Oord India Private Limited and the Maldives Transport Contracting Company (MTCC). The USD103 million project aims to reclaim 228 hectares of land in Addu. As per the project, Van Oord India reclaimed land in Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, and Maradhoo-Feydhoo while MTCC reclaimed land in Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo. The project stands as the most extensive land reclamation initiative in the Maldives. It serves as a solution to the housing challenges in Addu and aims to generate additional economic prospects for the region.
The government aims to bring 8,000 tourism beds into operation in Addu. Hankede is one of the regions in Addu that specialised in tourism and includes hotels, guesthouses, and other tourism-related businesses. As such, around 25 hectares in total were reclaimed to form three islands for resort development while five hectares were reclaimed in Hankede. The project is currently in the early stages and the government aims to complete the development of Hankede within the next two years.
The administration stated that it is committed to developing Addu as a regional economic hub. The development projects in Addu include the land reclamation project, the development of 124km of roads throughout the city, and the modernisation of Gan International Airport to accommodate 1.5 million tourists annually. These initiatives represent a significant investment in the future growth and prosperity of Addu.