On Monday, the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) was awarded five infrastructure development projects by the Ministry of National Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure. The contract agreements were signed between the Chief Operating Officer of MTCC, Shahid Hussain Moosa and the Director-General of the Planning Ministry, Fathimath Shaana Farooq during a ceremony held at the Ministry.
Out of the five projects assigned, four projects are to be carried out in Haa Alifu atoll on islands; Uligamu, Kelaa, Dhidhdhoo and Thuraakunu while one project is staged in Alifu Alifu Himandhoo. The scope of the projects addresses different pertinent needs of the islands such as land reclamation, coastal protection, harbour expansion and channel dredging and breakwater upgrades among others.
The AA. Himandhoo Coastal Protection project will strengthen the island’s coastal resilience and is valued at MVR 24.54 million. As part of the works, MTCC will carry out beach nourishment operations of a 43,200cbm area, construct a 110m revetment and an additional 235m geo bag revetment as well as establish a 240m groyne and a 20m geo bag groyne. The contractor is required to complete the project in 365 days.
The HA. Kelaa Channel Dredging and Breakwater Upgrading Project will modernize the island’s harbour infrastructure with a budget of MVR 16.91 million. Under this project, MTCC will lead maintenance dredging operations of 16,632cbm and channel dredging operations of 57,750cbm areas. Moreover, the project also features the construction of a 36m revetment, a 20m groyne, a 309m geo bag breakwater, and the installation of navigation lights. The project is to be completed in 300 days.
The HA. Uligamu Harbour Expansion and Coastal Protection project will upgrade the island’s harbour facilities and is valued at MVR 73.88 million. MTCC’s plans for this island include several dredging operations such as maintenance dredging of a 10400cbm area, 46181cbm of harbour expansion dredging and 21708cbm of channel dredging.
Additionally, MTCC is also tasked with the construction of a 238m breakwater, 180m revetment, 300m groyne, 183, sand-filled outer breakwater and a 162m sand-filled inner breakwater. The project also makes allowances for a 238m quay wall and the installation of mooring buoys and other civic works. This project is estimated to take 600 days to complete.
On HA. Thuraakunu and HA. Dhidhdhoo, MTCC will conduct land reclamation projects. Over at Thuraakunu, MTCC will implement sand search surveys and carry out land reclamation operations of 8.16 hectares of land and construct a 1215m revetment. The total budget for this large-scale project is MVR 152.04 million and is scheduled for completion in 630 days. At Dhidhdhoo island, the project works extend to sand search surveys and reclamation of 26 hectares of land for a value of MVR 83.07 million. The project is set to finish in 360 days.