The Ministry of Housing has announced that the contract to develop 1,000 housing units in Hulhumalé will be officially awarded to local companies within this week.

Speaking on PSM’s "Raajje Miadhu" program last night, State Minister for Housing Ahmed Nazim stated that the project will be 100 percent executed by Maldivian firms. The development will be divided equally among five local companies, with each contractor tasked with constructing 200 housing units.

Out of the 200 units allocated to each company, 60 will be two-bedroom apartments, while the remaining 140 will be three-bedroom apartments. Nazim highlighted that these upcoming units will be higher in quality and significantly more spacious than previous social housing projects in the Maldives.

The two-bedroom apartments will exceed 700 square feet, and the three-bedroom apartments will be larger than 950 square feet. He added that there will be a noticeable improvement in both the quality of the building finishing and the utilization of the surrounding outdoor spaces compared to earlier developments.

The government is currently carrying out multiple housing projects across both the Malé region and the outer atolls to provide a permanent solution to the country’s housing shortage. In the capital area, land plots in Hulhumalé Phase 1, Phase 3, and Villingili have already been handed over to local contractors for housing development.

Furthermore, the Housing Ministry noted that design phases have wrapped up for separate projects in Hulhumalé Phase 2 contracted to two Chinese companies, with physical construction set to commence as soon as final regulatory permits are secured.