Hulhumale’ Phase III land reclamation to restart in April, conclude in July

The stalled land reclamation project in Hulhumale’ Phase III will restart in April and conclude in July, according to Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

Hulhumale’ Phase III is one of the locations from where plots were awarded in the former administration’s ‘Binveriya’ housing scheme for the Maldivian capital.

Sri Lanka’s Capital Marine and Civil Construction (CMCC) were contracted to reclaim 63 hectors of land from the Hulhumale’ lagoon for the project.

However, the project was suspended last year at the instructions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to avoid exacerbating coral bleaching.

23 hectors of land had been reclaimed by then.

On June 25, 2024, the EPA lifted the suspension on land reclamation projects, and the CMCC resumed the reclamation of Hulhumale’ Phase III. However, the project stopped again a few days later, and has been stalled ever since.

A spokesperson from HDC told Sun that total 24 hectors had been reclaimed before the project stalled.

He said that the project was suspended because the HDC was negotiating “changes to the scope of the project” with CMCC.

He said that the project is set to restart in April. And they expect to be able to wrap up the project in July.

“The land reclamation will resume in April 2025 and the estimated date of conclusion is by end of July 2025,” said the spokesperson.

The reclamation works are being carried out at the area previously designated to anchor liveaboard vessels.