Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib has called for revenue collected as vehicle fees in the Greater Malé region to be deducted from the Malé City Council budget and transferred to the Government.
While responding to a question from Machangolhi Central Member of Parliament Ahmed Zameer, Minister Dr Muththalib addressed the MP's observation that the council's most recently announced budget projected annual revenue of between USD 8.43 million and USD 9.08 million from vehicle fees collected in Malé.
Responding to the question, Minister Dr Muththalib said Malé City Council receives approximately USD 9.73 million annually in vehicle fees from Malé and Hulhumalé. However, he said the council was not carrying out adequate road construction or repair work.
The Minister said responsibility for developing roads had been assigned to the council. He added that when permission was granted to cut through a road paved by the Government, the council lacked the capacity to restore the damaged section after the work was completed.
Minister Dr Muththalib said the ministry had prepared and sent the council standard guidelines detailing how roads should be cut for different purposes and how the affected areas should subsequently be repaired.
He said the council’s failure to develop the capacity to produce and lay asphalt for road repairs despite receiving USD 9.73 million appeared to be a failure to fulfil its responsibility. He added that it was necessary to determine where the money was being spent.
The Minister said he did not believe the USD 9.73 million collected annually in vehicle fees should be received by Malé City Council.
He called for the amount to be deducted from the council’s budget and transferred to the Government budget.
Minister Dr Muththalib said that if the USD 9.73 million were received by the Government, roads could also be properly developed.