Third deadline for launch of taxi line passes as new date is announced
Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen has announced that the government’s new taxi service is scheduled to launch on December 18, with the first batch of vehicles expected to arrive in the Maldives by December 11. While the procurement of the fleet is being managed in two phases, the launch of this project—conducted in collaboration with MTCC—has previously faced three delays due to various administrative reasons.
Transport Minister Ameen (C) and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu (R). | RaajjeMV | Raajje MV
Despite providing three previous deadlines, the government has once again failed to launch its proposed taxi service, with Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen now issuing yet another commencement date.
Despite three previous deadlines being set for the launch of the national taxi line service, the latest commitment remains unfulfilled. During the "Forward with the People - Week 14" ceremony held at the Social Center, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced that the service would commence by February at the latest. However, the month has concluded without the service being operationalized.
During a press conference held Wednesday regarding taxi line services, Minister of Transport Mohamed Ameen stated that several modifications are necessary for the electronic systems of the taxis. He explained that due to the Maldives' proximity to the sea and the resulting exposure to saltwater, the required adjustments have been finalized, and the vehicles will be imported in two separate batches. The Minister further noted that MTCC’s initial plan involves preparing and importing these two batches from two different countries.
The Minister stated that both batches have now been completed and are currently en route to the Maldives. One batch is scheduled to arrive at a Sri Lankan port this Wednesday. According to the latest information, the Minister confirmed that, God willing, one of the batches is expected to reach the Maldives on the 11th of this month.
The second batch of vehicles is being sourced from China. In total, the fleet will consist of three different models; one taxi model is arriving from Thailand, while the other two are coming from China. These two models are currently in transit. Based on the information I gathered before coming here today, we expect to receive the arrival date for the second batch this Friday. The first batch of taxis is scheduled to arrive on the 11th of this month. We are working to ensure that this taxi line can be launched into full-scale operation immediately. The application process will be opened within specific guidelines. However, we are aiming to officially inaugurate the taxi line and begin limited services by the 18th of this month, God willing. MTCC is working diligently to ensure the service commences in time for Eid. In collaboration with the government, MTCC is striving to remain on track with the current schedule.Minister of Transport Mohamed Ameen
The government initially set a deadline of July last year to launch this service. However, after failing to meet that target, Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen announced that the service would instead commence by mid-August. Despite these assurances, the service remains unavailable to date, and the government has yet to provide any further details regarding the delay.
The government has officially tasked the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) with providing taxi services within the Greater Male' region. This responsibility was mandated to MTCC in February of last year. Regarding the establishment of the taxi line, Minister Ameen stated that extensive groundwork is required before the service can be launched. He emphasized that the service cannot be initiated simply by importing the necessary vehicles. Furthermore, it was previously announced that production-related work for the taxi line service was scheduled to commence in June of last year.
