The mini bus service under Raajje Transport Link RTL will be launched next Monday, according to the CEO of the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) Adam Azim .

The government awarded the contract to MTCC to provide mini bus services in the city under the Raajje Transport Link. The mini bus service will start on Monday and will continue for the first two weeks. There is no charge for these initial two weeks of service , the purpose of which is mainly to test the buses,Azim told Raajje MV talking about the project.

Mini bus services will be available within the city at a cost of Rf. 7 per person per trip. Tickets are available through QR ticketing after the OR code is displayed. People with special needs, people over the age of 65, children in school uniform and children under the age of three will be able to travel free of charge, he said.

Azim said the buses will start at 5:45 am every day and will continue until 12:15 pm. It will take about 5 minutes between every 2 bus stops. It will take a maximum of 10 minutes to get to the destination from the bus stop, he said.

Work to build the bus stops is still being carried out in collaboration with the city council. By the time the work is completed, 42 bus stops will be installed, he said. The service will start with 18 buses , each with a capacity of 20 passengers.

Azim said the number of cars and motorcycles on the roads of the city is expected to decrease with the introduction of mini buses. As parking of public vehicles on the mini bus routes is currently banned , it will facilitate the smooth operation of bus service , he said.

As part of the efforts to launch mini bus services in the city, parking on Majeedhee Road has now been fully banned. The city council has drawn lines on both sides of the road to prohibit parking. Some areas have also been demarcated by cones to indicate no parking.

The parking zones of the streets have been removed and alternate areas have been allocated in four districts. They are part of the land of Samosavila House, two places near the community track, the area near Coral Boulevard near Dharbaruge and Rasfannu.

Mini bus services have been launched in other areas besides the city. They are Addu City, Fuvahmulah and Laamu Atoll islands