Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Dr. Abdullah Muththalib says the government has signed a contract with Road Development Corporation RDC to conduct the necessary survey of Villimale before its road reconstruction project.
Speaking at a press conference held by the Ministry today, Minister Muththalib detailed that the project awarded to RDC is worth MVR 1.79 million in cost.
He said that the project includes compiling the topographical surveys, geotechnical surveys, hydrological surveys as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment EIA for the eventual road construction project.
The Minister said that the reason for the project is to assess the conditions of the roads in the mainly carbon-neutral island of Villimale as well as get a cost estimate of the work before the project is awarded to a contractor.
He said that the report and design must be submitted to the Ministry within 120 days after the contract is signed.
Minister Muththalib reminded that the Environment Ministry is currently working to update the electricity network on the island as well as the sanitation system on the island and that surveys for the work are now underway. The Minister said that the Ministry is also striving to complete the preparation work for seamless integration of the underlying systems during the road reconstruction in Villimale'.
The Minister said that during the survey stage, residents of Villimale would be consulted and that the roads would be re-developed as they want.
Minister Muththalib assured that the government had no intention to deny the carbon-neutral status of the island and that the road reconstruction would improve the quality of life on the island.
