Malé vehicles registered to other zones to get six months to re-register

Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen announced today that the government is giving a six month period for all vehicles being driven in Malé on out-of-zone registrations to re-register to the Malé zone by taking the vehicles to a land plot assigned by Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

Speaking with local media about the traffic issues in Malé City, the capital of Maldives, Minister Ameen said that there are a lot of vehicles which have been brought into Malé, but not registered to the Malé zone.

As such, he said that they are working with HDC to allocate a land plot and that a 40 day period would be given for the vehicle owners to take the vehicles to the area.

"Taking the vehicle to the land is the responsibility of the [vehicle] owner. That way there would be no damages or fines from us towing [the vehicle]," the minister said.

He also said that if the owners do not wish to take the vehicle to the registered zone, they would be given a six month period to re-register the vehicle to the Malé zone. During this period, the owners would be able to either reregister, or take the vehicle to its registered zone, he said.

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan also spoke at the press briefing, adding that vehicles identified to be registered to other zones but are being driven in Malé after the 40 day period would be towed. As such, he requested the vehicle owners to reregister their vehicles within the six months allocated by the government.

The issue of vehicles registered in other zones being driven in the Malé area came to light after a speeding racing car hit a man in Hulhumalé Phase 2 last month, leaving the victim badly injured and vehicles as well as surrounding trees severely damaged.

Photos from the scene of the accident showed that the car involved in the accident was not registered to be driven in Malé, as it had a B zone plate. Vehicles registered to the B-zone can only be driven up north and down south of Maldives while a vehicle registered in Malé should have an A-zone number plate.

Since then, multiple sports cars occupying the parking zone near Hulhumalé's Centra Park has been towed by the authorities; all registered to other traffic zones.