Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has opened applications for the 100 row houses built in Thimarafushi, Thaa Atoll.
The government contracted SJ Construction Private Limited to construct 100 row houses in Thimarafushi in 2020. Under the agreement, the company built 100 row houses, each spanning 1,000sqft and consisting of three rooms, three toilets, a sitting room, and a laundry area. The value of the project is USD4.63 million. The construction of the houses has been completed and the company is currently installing utility services. The government stated that the project will be completed by August. It is the second atoll housing project to be completed by the government.
The government will be handing over the row houses to applicants under two categories. Category A consists of 83 row houses, while Category B consists of 15 row houses. The other two row houses will be given to the island council. Interested parties are required to submit their applications by August 20. The ministry has published in the Government Gazette the rules by which the applicants will be graded. The chosen applicant will be required to pay USD320 per month for a 20-year period.
Thimarafushi has a population of over 2,500. The construction of row houses aims to alleviate the housing issues faced by the residents. As such, the government will be providing row houses to those most in need of housing by establishing a special nine-member committee to evaluate the applications. The committee consists of one representative of the public and eight representatives from local institutions.