The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development has issued a statement disputing claims made by the Malé City Council over the development of the Malé Wet Market Complex, saying the information being shared by the Council is false.

The redevelopment forms part of the Government's efforts to modernise Malé's market infrastructure and provide improved facilities for vendors and the public. The project has been awarded to TrustEng Maldives Pvt Ltd under a contractor-financed arrangement.

After signing the agreement with the contractor, the Ministry submitted the project's detailed drawings to the Malé City Council on 29 March 2026 and requested that the project site be handed over to allow construction to begin.

When no response was received, the Ministry sent a second letter on 12 April requesting that the site be handed over before 18 April, following the clearance of the existing local market building.

The Ministry said it received no reply to that request either. A third letter was sent on 3 May seeking handover of the site before 7 May after the contractor repeatedly requested access to begin work. A fourth letter followed on 18 May, asking the Council to resolve the matter before 31 May.

The Council later informed the Ministry that the land could not be handed over because of an agreement signed on 9 March 2023 with Hire Engineering Consultancy Pvt Ltd for the redevelopment of the fish market area. The Council said the agreement would first have to be terminated before the site could be transferred.

The Ministry said Hire Engineering Consultancy had already informed the Council that it was willing to terminate the agreement without any conditions. Despite this, the Council has yet to take the necessary steps to cancel the agreement, the Ministry said.

In addition, the Ministry maintained that there is no legal basis for withholding the project site, adding that termination of the agreement would remove any remaining obstacle to transferring the land to the Government.

It also stated that the redevelopment is based on the same design previously prepared by the Malé City Council. The Ministry said the company originally engaged by the Council had not carried out any substantive work beyond constructing temporary stalls, meaning termination of the agreement would not affect implementation of the project.

The Ministry further stated the Council of prioritising political interests over the public interest by continuing to withhold the site. It said all administrative and financial arrangements have been completed and the contractor is ready to begin construction immediately, with the handover of the land remaining the only issue preventing work from commencing.

In addition, the Ministry noted that the project is scheduled to be completed within 600 days and highlighted that each day of delay increases project costs while postponing improved market facilities and services for the people of Malé.