Second phase of Hulhumal

The second phase of the Hulhumalé reclamation project has been launched last night (Saturday night).

Managing Director of Housing Development Corporation, Suhail Ahmed, told Sun Online that the second phase, which would see the reclamation of 240 hectares, was implemented at 10:30 p.m. yesterday.

HDC has said that the dredger employed in this project, the Leiv Eiriksson, is one of the largest dredgers in the world.

“The dredger is in operation, in the area on the east of Club Faru,” Suhail told Sun Online.

Up to 240 hectares of land will be reclaimed to the north-east of the existing island. The new land will engulf the nearby island of Farukolhufushi and the expanded area will be designed to support a population of 100,000 people, HDC said.

The reclamation and development of Hulhumalé is an initiative establish a new land mass required to meet the housing and industrial needs of the capital Malé. The first official settlement was inaugurated by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on 12 May 2004.