Work commences on relocating networks overlapping on land plots

Under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration, land plots were allocated in Hulhumale’ Phase 2 which saw water and sewerage networks encroaching on certain land plots. The replacement work began today.

Approximately 150 land plots allocated under the landowner scheme, launched by the previous government, has water and sewerage pipes running underneath them. Hence, even if the land is separated, no work can be carried out there.

In an effort to find a solution, Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) jointly started the process of relocating the water and sewerage networks this afternoon.

Speaking to the media after the work commenced, HDC Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed said that the work will be carried out at high speed.

“If you look at this, the sewerage network is inside the wall” Fazul said, pointing out the related pipes in a plot of land. “The water network is visible here”.

He stated that the excavation works have begun and the process of breaking the tar will also begin very soon.

“Plots under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme that have roads encroaching on it will also be removed”, he said. “We will share the details with the media very soon”.

Speaking to the media at Hulhumale’ Phase 2, MWSC Managing Director Abdul Matheen Mohamed said that the plots should have been allocated in a manner that does not encroach on the networks.

According to him, the issue of allocating land plots that overlap on the under-road networks must be resolved.

“This has not been properly considered and there is a lot of work to be carried out”, he said.

He stated that the relocation of the pipes could be completed in three months.

“As soon as it is completed, HDC will continue with the next step”, Matheen said. “Hopefully, this work will be completed rapidly to avoid causing inconvenience to the public and to put an end to the current issues”.

HDC said the process of removing the networks on the land plots will cost MVR 200 million. The company said the process of granting permits to all land plots except the affected ones has already begun.