Government reclaims 14 lands from Male' City Council, including Sultan Park and Artificial Beach

The government has decided to take over 14 plots of land in Male' City, including Sultan Park, the National Museum premises, the Fish Market and the Carnival area, which were previously under the jurisdiction of the Male' City Council. 

The Housing Ministry announced on Thursday that these lands will be separated from the council’s authority and designated as State property for development works, infrastructure services and related projects.

The ministry said any complaints regarding the decision should be submitted in writing within 14 days. 

According to the announcement, the lands currently under the council include: 

• Sultan Park and the National Museum

• The Fish Market

• The reclaimed area of the Fish Market

• The Local Market

• The land where the council’s workers’ accommodation building is located

• The building housing the Chamber of Commerce office

• The Carnival area

• Artificial Beach

• Fishermen’s Square

• Thaiseykoshi

• Pay Toilets No. 2

• The land used by the council to store plants

• Bondibaiy Park

• Rasfannu

It is noteworthy that amendments to the Decentralization Act came into force in September last year, allowing the government to separate land from a council’s jurisdiction for the purpose of implementing development projects. Under the law, if the Cabinet decides to allocate land under a council for government projects, the land will be removed from the council’s property and placed under full State authority. The government may take such land even before an island’s physical development plan is approved, although the law requires the relevant ministry to compensate any investment made on the land.