Parking zone to be developed in Maafannu Cemetery

Male' City Council said the list of land provided by the government on request to develop parking zones include Maafannu Cemetery, and once handover takes place, work will commence on the plot.

A city council official told Miharu News that the land allocated by the President's Office for the development of parking zone has not been handed over to the council yet.

"As it is a cemetery, the land will be vacated according to Islamic laws by the state before handover to the council. It is not the council's responsibility to vacate the land", he said.

He said a letter had been sent to the Islamic Ministry requesting the council to hand over the land of Maafannu Cemetery as requested by the President's Office.

Burials have not been carried out in Maafannu Cemetery for a long time. A parking zone has already been built on the west side of the cemetery. The former city council built a parking zone there after removing some graves and vacating the site.

The Islamic Ministry could not be reached for comment.

With the initiation of mini bus services in Male', parking is prohibited on some major roads including Majeedhee Magu. As a result, the issue of parking in narrow streets and alleys have increased.