Gov’t Allocates Permanent Plot in Hulhumalé Phase 2 for NDMA
NDMA said the permanent land in Phase 2 will improve operational efficiency, service standards and national disaster response capacity. | Photo: MV+
The Maldivian government has designated a permanent plot of land in Hulhumalé Phase 2 to host the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), according to an official statement by the authority on X.
NDMA stated that the government officially handed over the 13,574-square-foot plot following directions from the President’s Office. According to officials, the allocation aims to expand and strengthen emergency response capabilities, disaster risk reduction efforts, and assistance operations across the archipelago.
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The authority confirmed plans to construct its main headquarters on the new site. The proposed development also includes a modern emergency operations centre, a dedicated emergency warehouse to store essential relief supplies, and a specialised facility designed to provide temporary shelter for individuals affected by disaster events.
Following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, authorities established the National Disaster Management Centre to coordinate relief and response activities. The government formally reconstituted the entity as the NDMA in December 2018, providing it with a statutory legal framework. Despite its long-standing operational mandate, the agency reports that it continues to operate out of the Rihijehi Koshi building on Ameenee Magu, where severe space constraints have routinely hampered daily operations.
The government previously decided to assign land to the authority in 2022, identifying a 39,000-square-foot site opposite Tree Top Hospital in Hulhumalé where a temporary COVID-19 medical facility once stood. However, official records indicate that authorities never formally transferred the title of that building to the agency.
NDMA officials stated that the newly allocated permanent land in Phase 2 will enhance operational efficiency, elevate service standards, and improve national capacity to manage and recover from disaster situations.
