Temporary Hulhumale’ plot assigned for illegal cars

Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has allocated a plot from Hulhumale’ Phase II to park illegal cars until they are registered.

At the press conference on Wednesday, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen said illegal or unregistered vehicles increase in Greater Male’ area owing to the prolonged lack of regulation. He added there have been notable challenges in resolving the issue ‘promptly’.

Under the initiation of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, the ministry had requested for a designated land for these vehicles until their registration is completed.

“The ministry will be making an announcement today, urging the owners of vehicles that are either unregistered, or in different zones, or bearing wrong registration plates, to bring and park their vehicles on this plot,” Minister Ameen said.

The owners will receive a 40-day period to relocate their vehicles from their current location to the Hulhumale’ plot, the ministry added and notified these vehicles would be allowed to remain parked on the plot for the next six months until their registrations complete. The ministry added the vehicles will not be towed once they have been shifted to the plot.

The 40,000-square-foot plot will provide parking space for close to 200 cars or four-wheeled vehicles, Minister Ameen said.

The vehicles that fit into the criteria will be allowed to park effective Wednesday onward, the ministry said and added that Maldives Police Service will be monitoring the plot regularly.

“Parking the vehicles here will solve the lack of space across Male’ area,” the minister added.

Speaking at the land handover ceremony, HDC Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed noted that while the plot allocated on Wednesday is for temporary use, authorities are working to facilitate permanent parking areas.

While lack of parking spaces becoming more prevalent in Greater Male’ area, the ministry earlier reported over 80,000 vehicles are registered and operational in the area, inclusive of 4,500 cars.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, during his campaign, pledged a permanent solution to the lack of parking spaces in Greater Male’ area.