Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib has announced that one of the three towers planned under a 300-unit housing project in Vilimalé will be relocated to another site to avoid cutting mature trees in the area.

The decision follows public concern over plans to remove large Alexandrian Laurel trees at the project site near Muhyiddin School, with environmental groups and industry stakeholders raising issues over the potential impact. A constitutional case was also filed at the Supreme Court seeking to halt the tree removal.

In a post on X, the minister said that while the Greater Malé Region faces a shortage of parks and open spaces, the Government must also address housing challenges faced by thousands of families. He noted that limited land availability remains the main constraint in developing housing projects.

He said the Government had initially planned to proceed with the Vilimalé project without cutting large trees. However, as the designated site for one of the towers would require tree removal and trimming of branches, a decision was made to relocate that tower to a different area.

The project, contracted to Rasheed Carpentry and Construction Pvt Ltd, involves the development of three 17-storey towers comprising 300 housing units.

The development forms part of the Bank of Maldives’ Affordable Home Leasing initiative under the Inclusive National Affordable Housing programme, which aims to establish 3,260 housing units across Vilimalé and Hulhumalé, including 2,700 units in Hulhumalé Phase II. The Vilimalé units are expected to be completed by mid-2028.