Fuvahmulah City Council has raised concern over repeated vandalism of the island’s boardwalks, structures built to allow residents and visitors to pause and enjoy the city’s natural beauty.
The council highlighted the issue on social media, sharing photos showing missing railings and other damage. According to the council, the problem has become increasingly frequent.
In one recent incident, council workers discovered that the railings of the boardwalk leading to the hut at Bandaara Kilhi had been destroyed and thrown into the nearby marsh while they were carrying out routine cleaning.
The council said there have also been multiple cases where railing caps were removed and thrown into the marsh, or where railings were cut, carved into, or vandalised using paint and charcoal.
“The extent of the damage, as well as the difficulty and cost of obtaining the materials needed to repair the railings, makes restoration both challenging and expensive,” the council said.
The council urged the public to take care of these facilities and to report any acts of vandalism to the authorities immediately. The boardwalks, it noted, were created to allow people to appreciate the island’s natural environment, and protecting them is a shared responsibility to ensure future generations can enjoy the same beauty.
The council added that vandalism of public infrastructure, including buildings and even cases of arson, continues to occur from time to time in rural areas.