Ministry to Issue New Announcement on Thinadhoo Housing Units Amid Ongoing Dispute

The Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development has stated it will issue a separate announcement regarding the allocation of 200 government-built housing units in Thinadhoo, following a dispute with the Thinadhoo City Council over the application process.

The issue arose after Thinadhoo City Council opened applications for the housing units on 28 January 2025. The Ministry later declared that the Council had published the announcement without prior approval from the government. On 1 February, the Ministry formally instructed the Council to revoke the announcement. However, the Council has not complied with this directive to date.

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Responding to questions from North Thinadhoo MP Saudhulla Hilmy during a parliamentary session held yesterday, construction Minister Dr Abdulla Muthalib said the Council had proceeded unilaterally, despite the project being a government initiative. He said the Ministry had communicated with the Council on multiple occasions, both directly and via the Local Government Authority (LGA), to halt the application process and coordinate efforts in line with government policies.

Minister Muthalib reiterated the government’s stance that beneficiaries of state-funded housing should be determined by the government through standardised procedures. He added that applications for the Thinadhoo housing units will be accepted through the ‘Hiyaa Vehi’ portal, and that preparations are under way to facilitate this.

The controversy over the housing project comes at a time when the Thinadhoo City Council is facing increased scrutiny on several other fronts.