Authorities demolish Orchid Plaza, a ‘drug den’ prone to frequent fires

The Local Government Ministry on Saturday began demolishing Orchid Plaza, an abandoned building located in Male’ City which has become a drug den and a scene of frequent fires in recent years.

In a post on X on Saturday morning, Local Government Minister Adam Shareef Umar said the authorities decided to take down Orchid Plaza, New Plaza and House Plaza due to public safety concerns.

The ministry began demolishing Orchid Plaza, located in the Maafannu district.

Adam Shareef, who paid a visit to the site to observe demolition work in the morning, apologized for the inconvenience it may cause the residents of the neighborhood, but stressed that the decision was made for the safety and wellbeing of the community.

The three-story Orchid Plaza had previously housed Maldives National Shipping, the former state-run shipping company. But the building has been abandoned for years, attracting drug addicts.

The building has also been the scene of frequent fires.