Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muththalib has stated that the work being done on Addu Link Road, a project that has been awarded to the Road Development Corporation (RDC), will be expedited even if it has to be handed over to another company.
While answering a question posed by Maradhoo Constituency MP Ahmed Didi, Minister Muththalib said the Addu Link Road project was awarded to RDC to lower costs as much as possible, and that equipment was procured for the company. He said that RDC is working to clean the road, but the residents of Addu want the road to be asphalted and to go with the option that makes it easier for the public.
"We are currently working to find ways to expedite the project, by handing over only the Addu Link Road project to another company, and by handing over the project to asphalt the road to another company if need be. We are working to find ways to reduce expenditure as the project is and will incur a high amount of expenses. We are working with the hope to have RDC work on other projects while finding ways where the Addu Link Road efforts can be expedited," said Muththalib.
The minister expressed criticism toward North Hithadhoo Constituency MP Abdulla Sodiq (Sobe) for not including Addu Link Road in the project to repair roads during his time as the Mayor of Addu and his previous appointment as the State Minister of the Housing Ministry.
Muththalib said this in response to a question asked by MP Ahmed Didi, with the question being when would the water and sewerage efforts begin in the Addu Tourism Zone as the area is seeing the construction of many guesthouses being completed.
Muththalib stated that "Addu Link Road remained untouched" when all of the roads in Addu were being renovated, and that those who are responsible should be held accountable. He repeatedly questioned why Addu Link Road was not included in the road renovation project. He also asked what the Addu City Council was doing when the Addu Link Road had seen such damage.
"The road renovation project was underway when honorable North Hithadhoo Constituency MP (Abdulla Sodiq) was the Mayor of Addu. It was also underway when he took the position of State Minister at the Housing Ministry. Why was the link road not prioritized? Why was the link road not included? Why was the link road untouched when 60 kilometers of road were renovated?," said Muththalib.
While stating that the Addu City Council received revenue from rent on plots from the Addu Tourism Zone while the Addu Link Road had seen that much damage, the minister questioned why the funds were not used to repair the Addu Link Road.
The project to repair the Addu Link Road, which was built 22 years ago, was signed with RDC on 8th April 2025. The project, which cost the state MVR 829.8 million from the budget, was awarded to be finished within 3 years and 9 months.
The project includes the renovation of the Addu Link Road to modern standards, to pour asphalt or lay stone on the 67.58 kilometers of road that have CTB laid on it, to establish a water drainage system in Feydhoo, repairing pavements, and to affix road signs.
The Addu Link Road was initially built with a USD 7.9 million loan given to the Maldivian government by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The work on the Addu Link Road, spanning a total of 12.5 kilometers, was done by the Hoggard and Schulz Lebanon company, a company made in cooperation between two companies from Denmark and Lebanon. The planning and design of the link road was done by a professional from New Zealand by the name of John Smart.
