The large-scale land reclamation for Hulhumale’ Phase 3 is progressing rapidly and is on schedule to be completed by 20 January 2026, the government has announced.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Construction, Housing, and Infrastructure, Dr Abdulla Muththalib, during a press conference detailing his Ministry's ongoing projects.
According to the Minister, out of the total 63 hectares of land to be reclaimed, 47 hectares have already been dredged. To expedite the final phase of work, the government has deployed two large dredgers, including Boskalis’ train suction hopper dredger, which began operations on 28 November. Following the completion of dredging, the process to handover land registries is set to begin in January.
During the press conference, Minister Muththalib outlined the government's housing philosophy, stating that priority is being placed on constructing three-room units to provide families with a comfortable living environment, rather than smaller one or two-room accommodations. He emphasised that all government housing projects are designed for maximum public convenience.
In a related update, the Minister confirmed that the even larger Rasmale' reclamation project is slated for completion by April 2026. So far, over 215 hectares of the planned 1,100 hectares have been dredged using three dredgers operating at different sites.
Once finished, development will proceed according to the Rasmale’ Master Plan, which envisions an eco-city with full municipal infrastructure, he said, adding that the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for essential water and sewerage systems are already in place.
The Minister also provided a positive update on the ‘Gedhoruveriyaa’ social housing scheme, confirming that 399 recipients have already received the keys to their new apartments.
With 3,879 agreements signed, he pledged that all remaining keys will be handed over before the end of January 2026. He acknowledged previous delays, attributing them to necessary water and electrical works not included in the original contracts, but highlighted that project completion jumped from 33 percent to 68 percent within the current government's two-year term.
Additionally, Minister Muththalib detailed revised, more affordable payment terms for the flats. The down payment for a three-bedroom unit has been set at USD 551.23 with a monthly rent of USD 648.51 while two-bedroom units will see a revised monthly rent of USD 453.96 along with a down payment of USD 389.11. Recipients will also benefit from a three-month rent-free period immediately after receiving their keys, though maintenance fees will still apply during this time.