Parliamentary committee reviews designating Thinadhoo as a city

GDh. Thinadhoo Council states that a parliamentary committee is currently engaged on a review to see whether Thinadhoo can be designated as a city. 

Thinadhoo Council’s vice president Nasrulla Ali told Sun that the review was being conducted at the request of Local Government Authority (LGA). 

Nasrulla said that while the official population of Thinadhoo was 8,000, over 12,000 people resided in the island. 

“There are over 12,000 people living in this island. The council is conducting a consensus to identify the exact number of people living in this island,” he said. 

The law states that an island needs to have at least 10,000 registered residents in order to be designated as a city. 

Thinadhoo Council wants the island to be designated a city, even if it requires amendments to the law. 

“We have received a green light from the government that this island will be designated as a city,” said Nasrulla. 

Nasrulla said that Thinadhoo already offers all services provided in a city. He said that the island has a tertiary hospital, branches of universities, and modern roads. 

He said that there was a mega housing project in progress, while the international port being developed in the island was expected to be complete this year. 

“Services will be further expanded once this island is designated as a city. Infrastructure development and healthcare services will be expanded,” he said. 

Nasrulla said the Thinadhoo Council planned on proposing several development projects once the island is designated a city. 

Maldives currently has four cities; Male’ City, Addu City, Fuvahmulah City and Kulhudhuffushi City.