The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development has invited proposals from consultancy firms to prepare a master plan for Ras Malé, the new city being developed in Fushidhiggaru Lagoon.
The master plan is expected to guide the development of residential, commercial, civic, industrial, cultural and recreational areas, alongside public facilities, transport networks, coastal infrastructure and utilities.
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Fushidhiggaru Lagoon covers approximately 1,153 hectares. Of the land being reclaimed, approximately 500 hectares have been allocated to UAE-based developer Eagle Hills for a waterfront and marina development. The remaining area, also described by the government as approximately 500 hectares, is intended for local housing and other development. The government has said the housing allocation will not be affected by the Eagle Hills project.
The master plan is expected to incorporate residential, commercial, civic, industrial, cultural and recreational zones, alongside provisions for public facilities, healthcare, education and sports.
The consultancy will also be required to develop plans for renewable energy, utilities, transport and mobility, green and blue infrastructure, and coastal protection. The transport framework is expected to prioritise public transport, walking and cycling while reducing dependency on cars and motorcycles.
The terms of reference also require the consultancy to identify conservation areas, ecological buffers and climate-resilience zones, with the overall development intended to address the Maldives’ vulnerability to climate change and disaster risks.
Stakeholder engagement will form part of the assignment, with the consultancy expected to consult government agencies, local authorities, communities, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and development partners.
The selected consultancy will have 10 weeks to complete the assignment, with deliverables divided into four stages: an inception report, a land-use and draft master plan, a stakeholder engagement report, and the final master plan and planning report.
The ministry said there will be no pre-bid meeting. Interested firms must submit questions and requests for clarification by 12:00pm Monday next week, with responses scheduled for 18 November.
Proposals must be submitted physically to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development at Dharubaaruge, Malé, by 9:00am on 2 December. Technical and financial proposals must be submitted in separate sealed envelopes.
The consultancy will be selected based on a combined technical and financial evaluation, with technical proposals carrying a 70 percent weighting and financial proposals accounting for the remaining 30 percent. Firms must score at least 75 points in the technical evaluation to qualify for the financial bid opening.
The government has opened up for consultancy amid debate over the government’s separate agreement with UAE-based developer Eagle Hills for a major waterfront and marina development in Ras Malé. Under a Commercial Terms Agreement signed on 21 September, the government agreed to allocate 500 hectares of reclaimed land to the company under a proposed 99-year lease. The arrangement has drawn criticism because the land was reclaimed using public funds and the full agreement has not been made public.
The government has defended the arrangement as an investment project, saying the land is being leased rather than sold and that foreign ownership of Maldivian land will not be permitted. It has also said the development is expected to generate revenue, investment and employment.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), however, has called for the full agreement to be disclosed, raising concerns about the 99-year lease, the absence of an acquisition fee or land rent, and whether the state will recover the cost of reclamation.
