Ameenee Magu, a primary arterial road in the capital paved with asphalt under the previous administration, is slated for significant reconstruction following a rapid structural deterioration that has frustrated motorists.
Ibrahim Nazeem, the managing director of the Road Development Corporation (RDC), announced that preparations are underway to comprehensively redevelop the western segment, where the roadway has suffered extensive damage characterised by surface lifting and unevenness.
Appearing on the public broadcaster’s ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme, Nazeem specified that the stretch running west from Ghiyasuddin School is in critical need of major repairs. The corporation has consulted with the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure to expedite the restoration, with physical work anticipated to commence within two weeks.
"We will remove the existing asphalt layer entirely before proceeding to re-pave the area anew," Nazeem said. "This undertaking will stand as the most substantial infrastructural project we execute in Malé next."
Technical experts attribute the wear to premature exposure to traffic, observing the 1.79-kilometre project, which cost the previous administration USD 5.47 million and concluded in January 2024, was opened before the asphalt cured. Segments 11 and 12, finished in September 2023, became irregular despite early repairs near Maafannu Stadium.
To ensure longevity, the RDC will enlist an international road engineer to supervise the resurfacing, according to Nazeem. Beyond Malé, the state-owned enterprise manages 255 provincial projects, with 125 currently advancing and plans to pave road networks on eight distinct islands.