The Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Infrastructure has announced an extension to the application deadline for 100 government-built housing units in both Vilufushi, Thaa Atoll, and Thulhaadhoo, Baa Atoll.
The new deadline for submissions is set for 11:59 pm on 30 April
The initial application window, which opened on 11 January, expired on 11 April. The Ministry's decision to extend the period comes as it works to ensure all eligible citizens have ample opportunity to apply for the vital housing solution. All applications must be submitted digitally through the government's Hiyaavahi Portal.
The demand for these units is significant. To date, the Ministry has received 347 applications for the 100 units in Thulhaadhoo and 206 applications for the 100 units in Vilufushi.
In Vilufushi, the construction of the 100 units, initially commissioned in 2011, is now complete. Utility services are currently being installed, with Fenaka Corporation Limited assigned to provide water and sewerage connections.
The Thulhaadhoo scheme, however, has been mired in legal complications. Although the units were previously allocated, the process was halted after the Thulhaadhoo Magistrate’s Court ruled that changes made to the allocation rules were illegal. This legal challenge, stemming from when the previous government delegated the handover responsibility to the local council, prevented the distribution of the homes.
In response, the Ministry has now reassumed full control over the entire handover process. The Ministry has confirmed that the units will be re-allocated under a newly formulated set of strict and transparent rules to ensure a fair and lawful distribution to the island's residents.