Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure, Dr Abdulla Muththalib has stated that the 300 housing units to be developed in Villimale’ under the Bank of Maldives (BML) Affordable Housing Project will provide housing opportunities for generations.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the project, which was attended by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, Minister Muththalib said the housing units are part of an initiative by President Muizzu that brings about significant changes to the lives of Villimale’ families, and will create housing opportunities for current and future generations.
The minister said the decision to allow 10-storey buildings in Villimale’ had received criticism. However, the decision stemmed from population growth considerations and housing demand in Villimale’, and to provide housing opportunities for future generations, he said. The government aims for Villimale’ to be at a standard comparable to Male’ and Hulhumale’, he said.
The project was first announced by President Muizzu while meeting with Villimale’ residents in November last year, in line with his presidential pledge to find an adequate solution for the housing issues faced by the residents of Villimale’. Later, in his Presidential Address of 2026, President Dr Muizzu outlined that the Housing for All policy rests on three pillars: increasing access to real estate for higher-income families, providing affordable housing for middle-income families through bank mortgages, and delivering social housing for families unable to afford homes independently. He further highlighted the government's efforts to expand the banking sector's participation in affordable housing.
The Villimale’ project entails the construction of three 17-storey residential towers designed to preserve the greenery of Villimale’, and will be implemented by Rasheed Carpentry and Construction Pvt Ltd. Each tower will contain three-room apartments of 900 square feet.
The Affordable Housing Project forms part of the administration's housing policy, aiming to develop 3,260 housing units across Hulhumalé Phase I, Hulhumale’ Phase II, and Villimale’ through the BML Affordable Home Leasing scheme. The project follows a lease-to-own framework, facilitating residents' transition to homeownership.