The administration has denied allegations that it has decided to substitute land plots given to those in Hulhumalé Phase III to plots in Fushidhiggaru Lagoon.

Local media reports on Wednesday stated that the Mohamed Muizzu administration does not want to allocate land for residential purposes in Phase III and had therefore decided to substitute plots issued from Hulhumalé to the reclaimed section of Fushidhiggaru Lagoon.

However, Urbanco’s Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed refuted such reports.

The HDC’s [alleged] decision to transfer the plots, of the land owners, from Hulhumalé [Phase] three to Fushidhiggaru Lagoon is untrue.

Managing Director of Urbanco, Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed denying media reports of Muzzu administration switching plots already issued at Hulhumalé Phase III for plots in Fushidhiggaru Lagoon

President Muizzu on Wednesday removed Fushidhiggaru Lagoon from the jurisdiction of the Gulhi Island Council in Kaafu Atoll.

The Muizzu administration, as has all pervious administrations, is looking towards solving the housing crisis by reclaiming areas in the greater Malé region. The President pledged to reclaim Fushidhiggaru Lagoon within his first 100 days of taking office. The budget for 2024 had originally included MVR 400 million for the reclamation project, which Parliament unilaterally reallocated to other projects, before passing the budget on Wednesday.