Extremely dismayed with the decision: TATA

TATA Housing has expressed their disappointment over the Government of Maldives decision to terminate the agreement with Apex Realty.

A statement released by the company stated that they were “extremely dismayed at the decision taken”, adding that the “breach of contract is unwarranted”.

The company said that Apex Realty had been forthright in keeping Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure appraised of the progress every step.

It said that they “had received an apporoval from the Ministry for the revised plans for Nadhee and Odeon site on February 20th, 2017” and had since then commissioned a number of activities towards completing the project well within the deadline.

“It is therefore, extremely disappointing to have received this notice at a critical juncture of the project. We are evaluating our options and are keen to secure our interest in this project in accordance with the agreement. Despite all the challenges and external factors impacting the project, we have delivered the social housing project at Gaakoshi and Arabiya sites and the same has been accepted by the Government,” the statement read.

Housing Minister Mohamed Muizzu announced at an event on Wednesday afternoon that the company had been given a 90-day notice to proceed with incomplete phases of the construction. The termination is the result of TATA’s failure to do so, the minister said.

In 2016, after the government had announced that it was considering penalizing TATA for delays in the project, the Housing Development Corporation had drawn lots to assign said flats. The flats, each with three rooms and two bathrooms, already had over 200 registered recipients.

TATA was hired to construct 280 flats in two separate sites in the capital in 2010. However, the project was at a longstanding halt owing to contractual issues.

READ MORE: Government terminates flat contract with TATA over project delays