For the first time in 36 years, a permanent list of residents eligible to receive housing plots in Baa Eydhafushi has been officially released.

The Eydhafushi Council announced on Sunday that the list has been gazetted with a total of 183 individuals included, selected based on a points-based evaluation system.

Although a permanent list was previously published, it was reviewed following public complaints. As a result, four individuals were removed after it was found they no longer met the necessary criteria. Their plots have since been reassigned to four new recipients.

The Council stated that the next phase of the process will involve a draw to determine the specific locations of the plots assigned to each recipient.

The plots, each measuring 1,200 square feet, are located on reclaimed land within the island.

With a population exceeding 3,500, Eydhafushi last distributed land plots in 1989, when 659 plots were allocated. Since then, severe land shortages have prevented further distributions.

To address this issue, a land reclamation project was completed in 2014. However, no plots had been distributed from the reclaimed area over the past 11 years, leading to mounting frustration among residents.

The release of the permanent list coincides with ongoing efforts by the Government to tackle housing challenges in the region. Construction of 1,000 housing units is currently underway, with plans for 12 residential towers of 15 storeys each. The project has been contracted to a Chinese company.