Male’ City Council Seeks Public Opinion on Reducing Vehicle Numbers by 25%

The Male’ City Council has announced plans to seek public opinion on reducing the number of vehicles in the congested Male’ region, following a report that warns the city is operating far beyond its infrastructural capacity.

At a council meeting held today, members voted to publish a report detailing the maximum number of vehicles suitable for the Male’ region and to open a two-week public consultation period to gather feedback from citizens.

The report, prepared by the Islamic University of Maldives, reveals that while nearly 199,472 vehicles are currently in use in the Male’ region, the roads and infrastructure can only accommodate approximately 89,000 vehicles—a staggering 25% reduction is needed to bring the numbers down to a sustainable level.

Mayor Adam Azim said during the meeting that while it is clear something must be done, the plan's success depends on public participation. “This consultation will help us design an effective implementation strategy,” Azim stated.

The council has approved the publication of the report tomorrow, after which residents will have 14 days to share their opinions and suggestions on how to move forward with a vehicle reduction plan.