Dutch company Van Oord has revealed three new islands will be developed in the lagoon of Addu City under the massive Addu City Land Reclamation Project.
Van Oord revealed 194.3 hectares of land will be reclaimed along the coasts of Hitadhoo, Maradhoo and Maradhoo-Feydhoo under this project. The company revealed three new islands will also be created in the lagoon of Addu as part of the development.
Moreover, the company added it will install 11km of shore protection and move coral and associated species from the reclamation area prior to project execution, as protection of the environment is a key concern.
Many have raised concerns regarding the environmental impact of the project. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the project revealedthe biosphere reserve of Addu could be destroyed with the project, with several important eco-landmarks such as the Manta Point and Shipwreck facing the threat of destruction.
The Addu City Land Reclamation Project, worth over USD84 million, was contracted to the Dutch company Van Oord last month. The project aims to develop Addu City as an economic hub as well as an attractive tourist destination.
