Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has started a new bus route to carry passengers from Dharumavantha Hospital to Hulhumale'.
MPL intends to schedule a trip every hour although it will add more busses during peak hours. The newly started bus route transits at the Greater Male' Bus Terminal, to allow more convenience for passengers using the bus service. The buses will make two stops in Male' before dropping passengers at Hulhumale'.
Male' City Council has been establishing new bus stops to assist MPL add new routes for the residents of the capital city. CEO of MPL Shahid Ali said the park area near Dharumavantha Hospital has been renovated to make it more spacious and to include a shaded seating area. Shahid said the bus from Male' will stop at all bus stops in Hulhumale', adding although it is an hourly trip, the frequency will be increased during peak hours.
Highlighting the newly started route is high in demand, Mayor of Male' City Council Sifa Mohamed said it is making stops in areas where bus services can be introduced. She stressed people accessing Dharumavantha Hospital, Rasfannu Beach and Vilingili Ferry Terminal will find the introduction of the new route very convenient.
MPL currently runs two routes to Hulhumale' from Male' City. One from the Greater Male' Bus Terminal and the other from the bus stop near carnival grounds.
With the introduction of buses in Male', people using ferries to travel to Hulhumale' have significantly decreased. It is estimated that around 5000 people use buses daily while the number increases during weekends and public holidays.