The dredger deployed for the Ras Malé land reclamation project has left the Maldives due to non-payment, effectively bringing work on the project to a complete halt.

It has been confirmed that the dredger belongs to MM Export, an Indian company contracted for the reclamation. Sources informed RaajjeMV that the hopper dredger had suspended operations for nearly a month prior to its departure, after repeated payment delays.

According to information obtained by RaajjeMV, MM Export made multiple attempts to recover outstanding payments from the Maldivian government. The company had reportedly hoped for a resolution tied to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit, but with no progress made, MM Export was left with no option but to withdraw.

It is understood that the dredger is now en route to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Ras Malé land reclamation project, a key initiative that received high-level recognition from President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu upon assuming office, is now at a standstill.

According to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), which is overseeing the Malé Eco City project, only 10.8 percent of land reclamation has been completed to date. The project, a flagship urban expansion initiative, is expected to reclaim a total of 1,150 hectares of land. So far, just 123 hectares have been reclaimed.

The Malé Eco City project includes the development of 65,000 housing units. Of these, the incumbent president has pledged that 30,000 units ranging across various types, will be built in Ras Malé alone, with the aim of addressing the capital region's long-standing housing crisis.

As part of the broader vision, Muizzu also announced plans to connect Malé and Ras Malé via an underwater tunnel. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected mayor and council members of Malé City Council’s fourth term by-election, the president said the tunnel would feature panoramic views of underwater marine life, designed for rail-based transport.

He added that the tunnel is expected to boost tourist arrivals significantly and position the Maldives as a global attraction for innovation and infrastructure. As of 22 January 2024, the president confirmed that feasibility studies are underway and consultations are ongoing with potential international partners for the tunnel’s construction.