New Petition Calls to Preserve Vilimalé’s Island Beauty Amid Urbanisation Threats

An e-petition has been submitted to Parliament’s official platform calling for measures to limit motorised vehicles, protect mature trees, and prevent vehicle access once the Thilamalé Bridge connects to the island.

The petition, submitted by Vilimalé resident Abdulla Hussain Rasheed last Tuesday, who urged the Parliament to ensure that the government and city council implement sustainable development practices on the island.

In his submission, Rasheed highlighted that Vilimalé has retained much of its authenticity despite recent development. He requested that authorities take appropriate action to maintain the island’s environment, particularly as new infrastructure, such as the Thilamalé Bridge, increases connectivity.

The petition outlines eight key solutions:

• Called for regulatory measures to manage the use and expansion of bicycles on the islands, including the introduction of a council-operated bike-sharing system.
• Urged authorities to protect and preserve mature trees and green spaces, citing their importance to public health, the island environment, and biodiversity.
• Encouraged the adoption of root-control solutions as an alternative to cutting down trees to prevent structural damage to homes.
• Recommended that the city council implement a routine tree maintenance program to prevent disruption to vehicles and residential properties caused by overgrown vegetation.
• Stressed that infrastructure planning and design should incorporate large trees and green areas, with particular emphasis on preserving greenery within the new hospital site and surrounding residential zones.
• Reiterated that vehicles crossing the Thilamalé Bridge should not be permitted to enter Vilimalé, in line with a presidential campaign pledge.
• Proposed the establishment of a designated parking facility and a structured system to regulate vehicle entry and exit to and from Vilimalé once the bridge becomes operational.
• Called for an interim transport solution to facilitate patient travel between the bridge area and the hospital until the hospital bridge to Vilimalé is completed.

At the time of reporting, the petition has gathered over 130 signatures. A minimum of 500 signatures is required for the petitioner to seek MP sponsorship, 840 for the petition to be designated as a “general petition,” and 2,100 for it to become a “special petition.”

Under Parliament rules, a petition that reaches 0.2 percent of the population—around 856 signatures—is automatically classified as a general petition, requiring the relevant government agency to review and report on it within 21 days. A petition reaching 0.5 percent of the population, or roughly 2,100 signatures, becomes a special petition and is taken directly to the floor of Parliament for debate.

Currently, one other e-petition is active on the platform, addressing measures to regulate foreigners and tourists wearing revealing clothing, including bikinis, on inhabited islands. It has gathered over 1,300 signatures since being submitted on 9 February.

Parliament has reminded the public to ensure that petitions on the official e-petition platform have received formal approval before signing, cautioning that petitions without approval do not meet regulatory requirements.