The coastal protection project at Alifu Atholhu Uthuruburi Rasdhoo was inaugurated this afternoon. The project is funded under the grant assistance of the Indian Government. A total of 8 million Rufiyaa has been allocated for this project. The Government of Maldives will also contribute 5.3 million Rufiyaa to the project.
The work has been contracted to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), and is supervised by the Ministry of National Planning and Infrastructure.
The project was inaugurated by the High Commissioner of India to the Maldives His Excellency Sunjay Sudhir. The Minister of National Planning and Infrastructure His Excellency Mohamed Aslam, the CEO of Maldives Transport and Contracting Company Adam Azim, also spoke at the event.
The project will provide the necessary coastal protection to an area of a length of 214 meters, facing severe coastal erosion. This area was used as a landfill previously, and with coastal erosion waste buried there has risen to the surface, contaminating the water resources and polluting the beach area. The project scope will also include beach replenishment consisting of cleaning up of waste debris and replacement of sand, and the construction of a groyne field. The scope and the design of the project were formulated in consultation with the island council and the people of Rasdhoo.
The financial support has been provided from the grant assistance of USD 6.9 million (MVR 106 million) granted to the Government of Maldives by the Government of India during the visit of the Minister of External Affairs of India in March 2019. The aim of the grant assistance is to conduct socio-economic development projects across the country which are of high impact.
