The Government has decided to establish a dedicated fund to address traffic congestion and road-related issues in the Greater Malé area, the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade has announced.

Speaking on the ministry's Trade Desk with ANA podcast, State Minister Abdulla Siyaaz said previous efforts to resolve traffic issues had lacked a sustainable financing mechanism. He said the Government has now shifted its approach from addressing individual issues to implementing comprehensive solutions, while establishing a framework that brings together all relevant agencies to coordinate their efforts.

Minister Siyaaz said the proposed fund would be financed through vehicle-related revenue, including roadworthiness fees, traffic fines and other fees collected from vehicle owners. The money would be used to repair roads, improve traffic management and strengthen the transport network across the Greater Malé area.

He said the fund could also be used to support measures such as increasing the number of police officers deployed to manage traffic and maintaining road infrastructure.

Highlighting the need for a sustainable funding model, Minister Siyaaz noted that motorists already pay roadworthiness fees and traffic fines, but complaints that roads in the Greater Malé area are not maintained to a standard that reflects those payments have persisted for years.

He said the Government's objective is to establish a self-sustaining funding model that does not place an additional burden on the State budget, allowing money collected through vehicle-related fees to be reserved and used to implement long-term solutions to traffic issues in the Greater Malé area.