The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has announced that free transportation will soon be provided to patients traveling on the public ferry network to seek medical care.
The Raajje Transport Link (RTL) service, now operational in its eleventh atoll, is designed to provide affordable and reliable transportation for more than 12,000 residents across 13 inhabited islands.
People with special needs and the elderly are able to travel free of charge through the RTL service.
Speaking on PSM News' ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme, Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ibrahim Yasir said the government is refining the public ferry service in line with public opinion and needs of the community.
Yasir revealed that the government is planning to offer free travel for those who need to travel for regular treatment due to major and chronic illnesses on RTL, adding that the plan is being worked out in collaboration with the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) and the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company Limited (MTCC).
"There have been extensive discussions to start this. We are very close to offering this service. BML [Bank of Maldives] will issue a special card through NSPA which can be used by patients and aides to travel free of charge,” he explained.
The national rollout of the RTL network is being carried out in phases, with the country divided into six geographic zones to support systematic implementation.
According to the Economic Impact Survey conducted in 2023 on RTL services in Zone 1, 83 percent people in the region are using the network, while 93 percent of users are satisfied with the service. The study showed that the public saves USD 6.5 million annually on transportation after the introduction of the low-cost ferry network.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to extending the RTL service to all remaining atolls before the end of the calendar year.