Concrete over coral: The congestion boom in the Maldives

Picture this: It’s morning. You wake up, take a shower, have your breakfast, do whatever morning rituals you have to do, and you get ready for work. After that’s done, you head out to get to work. Seems like the common folk’s average day with absolutely no bumps along the way, right? Well, there’s one problem. Maybe a few more depending on circumstances. Everyone’s day is different after all.

Whether you’re walking along the stony pavements or driving on the puddled road, one thing is very clear: Maldives is in an age of extreme congestion. And fears of it getting worse are at an all-time high. This is due to rising urbanization within the country, particularly in Male’ city. As I mentioned in my previous article, our capital island is a densely populated area. Over the years, we have experienced a rapid population growth, straining the limited landmass we have. Our streets are narrow. The pavements are even narrower. The number of times I have accidentally bumped into someone while walking has been alarmingly increasing. But maybe the writer is just clumsy. But we can’t deny that the roads are entirely congested. Vehicles crowd every corner of the street like a pack of dominoes waiting to be toppled over, and the buildings are placed left and right in such a way that is cumbersome.

Due to our booming tourism and real estate industries, there is constant demand for housing which has led to overcrowding and vertical construction. Weak enforcement of zoning laws and building have contributed to the issue going unchecked. Consequently, numerous neighborhoods are facing stressed infrastructure, traffic issues, and a decline in the quality of life for inhabitants. In certain instances, hazardous building methods and uncontrolled skyscraper projects have heightened significant safety and ecological issues. This uncontrolled expansion endangers the lasting viability of our urban areas.

Vehicular congestion is something to note as well. As of 2024, the Maldives Transport Ministry has noted that 115,928 vehicles have been registered in Male’ since the year before that. This year’s July has seen an alarming amount of fatal road accidents cropping up, which has re-opened conversations about road safety and our government officials have taken to considering vehicular congestion as a probable root cause. According to the Transport Ministry, the end of 2023 saw vehicles occupying 82 percent of the road space, leaving only 18 percent available for pedestrians.

I’d like to share a personal story to further strengthen my stance on the matter. When I was much younger, the street where I lived was not as crowded as it is now. From my balcony, there wasn’t so much visual clutter. You could see the city stretch out from a distance. But in recent years, that has changed. With shopping and apartment complexes being built nearby, my once plain and simple view through the balcony has become— for a lack of a better word— congested. If I had to describe it, it's as if the buildings are almost pushed right into your face. I know, that's a gross over-exaggeration but that's how it feels when I’m looking out the balcony, which now doesn’t give me the same sense of relief and introspection it used to before.

Now the question remains, what can we do about this issue? Right now, it will take a lot of time, but we can start with relying less on private vehicles— especially when travelling within Male’. Believe it or not, the city is very walkable, and it doesn’t take much time to get to places around in Male’ if you are smart about it. Decentralization of economic activity and population distribution away from Male’ can also help. We must also call upon our lawmakers and policymakers to review our concerns and do what would be best for its citizens. Till then, drive and walk safe— and may you have an easier time navigating through our concrete jungle.