Male' City Council has begun conducting the 'Urban Mobility Survey' aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improve walkability in capital Male' City. 

The city council said that the survey is being conducted to gauge the condition of the transport system in the city, and to identify challenges. The survey is being conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and The Pacific (UNESCAP). 

Male' Mayor Adam Azim initiated the survey, and met with  Dr. Katrin Luger, Chief, Transport Research and Policy Section, UNESCAP in April to discuss implementation. 

The survey is funded by UNESCAP, according to the City Council. 

The survey will study various areas, including the numbers of vehicles owned by people, means of transport generally used in travelling from one place to another, and challenges in the current transport system. The city council said that ultimately, the purpose of the study is to facilitate efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city. 

20 staff from the City Council's Community Engagement Unit are involved in collecting data for the survey. As of now, the team has visited over 1000 households. 

The council said that special meetings have been scheduled for July 20 and 21 to discuss the findings of the survey. The meeting will be attended by all relevant authorities.