A Japanese firm has been hired to enhance the drainage system of Male' City in a project valued at MVR 24 million.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure signed the agreement for the Construction Phase (Package 02) of the Project for Disaster Resilience Enhancement in Male' Island with Tech International Inc. from Japan. State Minister Hassan Rasheed signed for the government, while Director Makoto Yokoshi signed on behalf of the company.

A centralized monitoring station will be set up to automate and remotely oversee all 16 pump stations functioning throughout Male'. The contract also entails the supply of a jetting vehicle for maintaining the drainage system.

The ministry stated that the contract amount is 247 million Japanese yen (around MVR 24 million) and the project needs to be finished within 487 days. A partnership between Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd. and Yachiyo Engineering Co. has been selected as the project consultant.

Flooding continues to be one of Male's most enduring urban issues, as heavy rainfall often overwhelms streets and disturbs everyday activities. To alleviate the issue, the Male' City Council brought in two high-capacity Global 6GST Sea Moveman pumps earlier this month, with each pump able to discharge 11,356 litres per minute. The Ministry of Defence is presently responsible for the maintenance of the pumps.

The council is conducting canal cleaning initiatives to enhance water flow and minimize flooding during intense rainfall.