President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the Urban Development Bill tonight. This bill was passed in the People’s Majlis session held on the 27th of last month. In today’s parliamentary session, 70 members voted in favor of passing the bill, while 11 members voted against it.
The main purpose of this bill is to establish a robust legal framework for designating urban areas in the Maldives and regulating the development of such areas. It aims to define urban areas, zones, categories, and land use, as well as set basic standards for developing and managing these areas. The bill also outlines procedures for monitoring and taking action on development projects in urban areas.
Under the Urban Development Act, the President, with the advice of the Cabinet, will determine the national policy for designating and developing urban areas in the Maldives. The responsibility for implementing these policies is assigned to the government ministry currently in charge of implementing urban development policies, which is presently the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development.
Upon the enactment of this law, an ‘Urban Development Authority’ will be established as a government agency. This authority will be responsible for preparing Urban Area Development Master Plans for designated urban areas, issuing development permits to developers, and coordinating development activities in these areas. The Urban Development Authority will operate under the ministry responsible for implementing urban development policies.
