Kulhudhuffushi City Council has begun handing over 105 rowhouses to the residents.
Speaking to PSM News, Mayor of Kuhudhuffushi City Mohamed Athif said that the council began handing over the keys of the rowhouses to the tenants on November 26. He said 27 residents have received their keys and that 85 rowhouses will be handed over during this round. He also that all of the 102 rowhouses will be handed over in December, adding that various issues have caused delays in the process.
The 165-rowhouse development project was launched in 2012. Out of these only 60 rowhouses were handed over so far. The remaining 105 rowhouses were left unfinished. The entire structure of the houses was completed when the project stalled, and the roofs were completed on many of the houses. The tenants were selected for the rowhouses in 2015, although the work of the houses was completely stopped. The residents have been eagerly waiting for the completion of the rowhouses for the past seven years. The government contracted Donbez Private Limited in April to resume the development of the rowhouses.
Each rowhouse has two floors with three bedrooms. The rent for the 60 rowhouses previously allocated under the project is USD195. The population of the city is close to 10,000. The council has stated there are more than 1,200 people in need of housing.
Furthermore, the government contracted the joint venture of Donbez Private Limited and the 23rd Metallurgical Construction Group Co. Limited to develop housing units in Kulhudhuffushi City in July 2022. The project involves the construction of 400 housing units measuring 1,000sqft each. Each housing unit will consist of three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and one sitting room. The units will also have a kitchen, laundry room, and storeroom. The area surrounding the housing units will be developed with a courtyard and parking area. The project was contracted to the joint venture at a price of USD29 million. The project is expected to be completed within 540 days.