Japanese Firm Contracted to Upgrade Malé Drainage System

A Japanese company has been contracted to upgrade the drainage system in Malé City under a project valued at MVR 24 million.

The agreement for the Project for Disaster Resilience Enhancement in Malé Island, Construction Phase (Package 02), was signed on Tuesday between the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure and Tech International Inc.. State Minister Hassan Rasheed signed on behalf of the government, while Director Makoto Yokoshi signed for the company.

According to the ministry, the contract is valued at 247 million Japanese yen, equivalent to around MVR 24 million, and the project is to be completed within 487 days. A joint venture between Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd. and Yachiyo Engineering Co. has been appointed as the project consultant.

Under the project, a centralised monitoring station will be established to automate and remotely manage all 16 pump stations operating across Malé. The agreement also includes the provision of a jetting vehicle to support maintenance of the drainage network.

Flooding remains one of Malé’s most persistent urban challenges, with heavy rainfall frequently inundating streets and disrupting daily activities. Earlier this month, the Malé City Council imported two high-capacity Global 6GST Sea Moveman pumps, each capable of discharging 11,356 litres of water per minute. The pumps are currently maintained by the Ministry of Defence.

In addition, the council has been undertaking canal-cleaning efforts aimed at improving water flow and reducing flooding during periods of heavy rain.