Motorized Vessels Banned in Hulhumalé Channel

The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has announced that motorized vessels will be prohibited in the Hulhumalé Channel, the waterway between Hulhumalé Phase 1 and Phase 2. The restriction takes effect this Friday.

The move is intended to protect swimmers in the area, many of whom are children, and to support coral restoration efforts currently underway.

According to HDC, the channel is a popular site for swimming, recreation, and watersports such as jet skiing and banana boat rides. The corporation noted that the environment needs protection from damage caused by engine-powered vessels.

HDC also revealed that a coral planting program, launched on 22 July by HDC alongside the Environmental Protection Agency and Maldives Marine Research Institute, is active in the channel. The ban is part of efforts to allow corals to recover without disturbance.