The government will launch a state taxi line service in Addu City this year, similar to the system introduced in Male', Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen said last night.

Speaking at a ceremony in Hulhumale' attended by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, Minister Ameen said Addu requires an organized taxi network and that preparations are under way to roll out the service at a comparable standard to Male'.

He noted that private taxi centres already play an important role and said their operations would not be disrupted by the government’s entry into the sector. Instead, the aim is to make transport more accessible and efficient.

As part of broader reforms, the government has amended taxi regulations to encourage greater private sector participation. The minimum requirement to register a taxi centre has been reduced from 100 vehicles to 50.

“The purpose of such services is to promote the private sector,” Minister Ameen said.

The new service, operated by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), was launched with a fleet of 150 vehicles.

These include smaller Lumin model cars for travel within Male', Deepal S5 vehicles for trips between Male', Hulhumale' and Velana International Airport, and Deepal S7 vehicles designed for up to four passengers.

The minister said both part-time and full-time drivers will operate under the system, with the goal of establishing a safe, reliable and convenient transport network.

Users can currently request rides through a dedicated web application, with plans to introduce call-based bookings in the future.