Minister of Defence Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon has stated that the ongoing development project at ‘Kalhuthukkalaa Koshi’, a military base of Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) will effectively resolve the accommodation challenges faced by military personnel and streamline administrative operations.
In the Presidential Address delivered during the opening sitting of the Parliament, the President announced that significant infrastructure initiatives at the military base are scheduled to commence within this year.
Elaborating on the Presidential Address during PSM News’ program, Minister Ghassan lamented that the current state of military infrastructure, encompassing administrative, logistical, and accommodation facilities are substandard. The Minister further highlighted that no substantial renovation or maintenance efforts have been undertaken to address these structural needs since the early 2000.
While the MNDF operates nationwide, the highest concentration of personnel and services remains centered in the Greater Malé Area. Highlighting this issue, the Minister noted that many young service members from various regions across the country are currently stationed in the capital, where they are often compelled to seek private rental housing. However, he emphasised that the much-needed upgrades at the base would provide a comprehensive solution to these difficulties, significantly alleviating the burden on military personnel.
The Minister stated that plans are underway to extend these developmental projects to regional area commands in addition to the capital. Efforts will continue throughout this year and the next, to establish modern accommodation facilities for military personnel and secure storage infrastructure for advanced equipment acquired under the modernisation initiative.
"All planning and execution of these projects are being overseen by the Military Engineers of the MNDF Service Corps. These developments are tailored to their specific requirements using the most modern standards. We are ensuring that these goals are achieved without becoming a financial burden on the state, meaning the projects are structured to be economically viable while fully meeting operational requirements," , the defence minister said
Highlighting that the Maldivian military requires continuous training to maintain proficiency, the Minister also noted that efforts are being made to enhance training facilities. In this regard, work is currently underway this year to transform the ‘Girifushi’ Training Centre into a modern, state-of-the-art facility.
As part of this initiative, land reclamation efforts will begin mid this year to ensure space for the development and the development of the training facility will proceed consecutively. And as per the Presidential Address of the President, work on the upgrades for the Addu training center will also proceed.