Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Mohamed Aslam has stated not all islands need tarred roads as part of developmental plans.
Responding to questions in the Parliament of the Maldives, Planning Minister Aslam expressed concern over the increasingly popular idea that tarring roads is an essential part of development. The minister said the public needs to understand that tarred roads are not necessary for all islands and that it undermines the natural beauty of the Maldives. He noted that companies have been contracted to tar roads in 22 islands and that more such projects are in the planning stages for 19 islands.
However, Minister Aslam said that the public needs to understand that tarring roads is not always the best concept, as the drainage system established for the roads would transfer rainwater away from the local plant life. As such, he highlighted that developing tarred roads would ruin the natural beauty of small islands.
Furthermore, Minister Aslam responded to concerns over the halt of the road development project in Kolamaafushi, Gaafu Alifu Atoll. He said the contractor has not yet provided an estimate of the current progress of the project.
The contract for the road development project in Kolamaafushi was signed on January 6. The project was contracted to Road Development Corporation (RDC) on a design-and-build basis, at a price of USD5.5 million.