Uprooted Portia trees being replanted on Hulhumale' outer road

The Portia trees or locally known as Hirundhu trees that were uprooted on Male's market road for the road expansion are being replanted by HDC in Hulhumale'.

HDC said today that the large Portia trees on Boduthakurufaanu Magu were uprooted to be replanted at the Hulhumale' Channel Park area, with the replanting now being done.

The uprooting of said trees drew criticism from the public. A lot of people have been asking the government to come up with a way that does not remove trees for development projects.

The trees at Ameenee Magu, Male' were also uprooted so that asphalt could be poured onto the road, with this project drawing criticism from the public to the government as well. Some of the said trees have been replanted in Hulhumale' Phase 2 as well.

The market road expansion began early this month. The project is being split into various segments and is to be completed within three months, or before Ramadan as was stated by the government. The first day of the upcoming Ramadan is 18th February.

The MVR 144 million project to widen Boduthakurufaanu Magu was awarded to MTCC in August. The first segment of the project covers the expansion of the road outwards into the lagoon from the Fish Market up until the Republic Square, with it having been expanded into four lanes and asphalted. The road was opened early this month upon completion.

Just as it was done in the first segment, a part of the lagoon will be reclaimed from the Fish Market up until the North Harbor in order to expand the road to include four lanes of traffic. The entire stretch of road will have a layer of asphalt and be made to a modernized standard.

The first segment covers the Fish Market up until the North Harbor, with the expansion and asphalting of the road from the Republic Square up until the Carnival area.