Additional lifts installed in Hiyaa Tower 16 in Hulhumalé Phase II have been made operational, completing a Government project to provide a permanent solution to long-standing lift issues faced by residents.

The project fulfils a pledge by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to improve accessibility and ease the difficulties experienced by families living in the Hiyaa housing towers. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib officially inaugurated the completed project.

Under the initiative, two additional lifts were installed in each of the 16 towers, bringing the total number of newly added lifts to 32.

Each tower now has a large-capacity lift that can accommodate up to 21 passengers and is designed to carry stretchers, alongside an additional lift with a capacity of 14 passengers. The lifts also feature Braille floor markings, making them more accessible for visually impaired users.

The 25-storey Hiyaa housing development comprises 6,720 housing units, with around 400 apartments in each tower and an estimated population of 2,000 residents per tower.

When the towers were originally constructed, each was equipped with only three or four lifts, none of which could accommodate stretchers. Residents had long raised concerns over overcrowding and difficulties accessing the buildings, particularly during medical emergencies.

In response, the Government tasked the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) with implementing the additional lift project. The contract was awarded to China's Shenyang Yuanda Intellectual Group, with construction commencing in April 2024.