M. Naalaafushi Harbor Expansion Project: A mere blueprint unveiled just in time for the local council elections!
31 ޖުލައި 2026 | ހުކުރު 17:46The M. Naalaafushi Island Council has expressed concern over the complete lack of progress on the island's harbor development project. The Council's Vice President noted that, despite the project being initiated around the time of the local council elections, the only progress seen thus far is the receipt of the harbor's design concept.
The M. Naalaafushi Island Council has expressed deep concern over the complete lack of progress on the island's harbor development project. | Raajje MV
Ibrahim Zuhaid, the Vice President of Naalaafushi Island Council, said that there’s no work going on to develop the harbor on Naalaafushi Island, and that the council only got a blueprint on how to develop it before the local council elections.
Expressing concerns over the difficulties in utilizing the existing harbor in Naalaafushi, Zuhaid told RaajjeTV that the design submitted by the government lacks access to the outer breakwater. He highlighted that Naalaafushi has the highest number of small vessels in the atoll and emphasized that residents want the harbor developed in a way that allows vessels to be moored alongside the outer breakwater.
Our island has one of the largest fleets of small vessels in the atoll, with more than 50 such craft currently in operation. However, we face a severe shortage of space to dock them. We had hoped to utilize the outer breakwater for mooring, but the current design—consisting of piled armor rocks—makes it impossible to use effectively. The previous council even submitted a formal request to modify the breakwater's design during construction to accommodate docking, but those concerns were not addressed. I believe the current administration is also reluctant to undertake such a project due to the high costs involved. It seems the government is hesitant to commit to such a significant expenditure for a population of our size, as the financial burden of the project likely outweighs their current priorities.Ibrahim Zuhaid
Zuhaid stated that the latest update received during a PNC steering committee meeting in Naalaafushi, held with the constituency's Member of Parliament, indicated that the harbor project would proceed with modifications to allow small vessels to dock at the breakwater. However, Zuhaid expressed concern that such information had not been formally shared with the Council.
Furthermore, Zuheidu stated that since the previous administration had cited difficulties due to the depth of the initially proposed harbor site, a public meeting was held where residents decided to relocate the project to the eastern side. However, Zuheidu noted that the previous council disregarded that decision and opted to proceed with the harbor construction at the original location.
