Work on installing additional two elevators to each Hiya tower has begun today. During the ceremony held to initiate this MD of HDC, Fazul assured that this project will proceed within the upcoming year.
Work to install additional two elevators in each tower of the Hiya housing flats in Hulhumale' Phase 2 has begun today.
A special ceremony was held this morning at the second Hiya Flat towers to initiate this which was attended by Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development Dr Ali Haidar Ahmed, Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim and the Managing Director of Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed.
Speaking at the ceremony, Fazul stated that the installation of additional elevators in all Hiya towers will conclude within the next year or so, further affirming that HDC will proceed the numerous additional improvements required for the flats.
"We have begun efforts to resolve such problems faced by both Hulhumale' Phase 1 and Phase 2, be it parking issues, housing issues or even lighting issues in addition to the other problems faced by the residents of Hulhumale' as well as traffic issues." he said.
Minister of Housing, Dr Haidar recalled that installing additional elevators inside the flats is a presidential vow made by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu during the presidential elections and reiterated that today marks the beginning of the project's practical work. He had further highlighted that residents of the flats will be provided significant eases with the operation of these additional elevators.
Haidar insisted the need for increasing elevators in large apartment complexes such as Hiya flats and assured that this matter will be thoroughly considered for projects launched by the State thereon.
"We will heavily refer to this in the forthcoming projects run by the government." he said.
The project has been contracted to a Chinese construction company named Shenyang Yuanda Intellectual Industry Group Co. Ltd. While no financial budgets on the contract of the project was disclosed, the budget passed for this year indicates that MVR 200 million has been allocated to increase elevators inside the Hiya towers.
The two elevators installed inside each tower will consist of an elevator large enough to carry stretchers and an elevator with a 14-person capacity.
Some of the sixteen 25-storey Hiya towers built in Phase 2 during former president Abdulla Yameen’s tenure has three elevators installed in the residence while some flats have four elevators. However, many residents of these towers have issued complaints on difficulties faced in traveling between storeys as a result of the insufficiency of elevators within a densely populated area. The 16 Hiya towers in Phase 2 are currently accommodating over 50,000 people.