News Desk
The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) says it has completed the bulk of dredging at Site A of the government’s flagship Rasmale’ development, marking a significant milestone in one of the country’s most ambitious land‑reclamation schemes for housing.
According to the company, 116 hectares of the planned 137.5 hectares have now been dredged — equivalent to 84.36 per cent of the work at the site. MACL said operations were progressing in line with technical standards and the project schedule.
The Rasmale’ development, championed by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, is billed as the government’s most expansive housing initiative. Launched in December 2023, the project aims to reclaim a total of 1,153 hectares, creating new land intended to ease chronic housing pressures in the capital region.
To accelerate the work, authorities have deployed some of the world’s largest dredgers. Jan De Nul’s Cristóbal Colón — capable of carrying 46,000 cubic metres of sand per load — is among the vessels operating on site.
The government plans to allocate 25,000 residential plots on the reclaimed island, which it envisions as an environmentally conscious “eco‑city.” President Muizzu has said 15,000 plots will be distributed in the first phase alone. Officials describe the undertaking as the largest dredging project ever carried out in the Maldives.
All dredging is expected to be completed by April next year. The administration argues that the project will offer a long‑term solution to the capital’s housing shortage, providing both land and flats for residents who currently lack secure accommodation.
