The Malé City Council has announced plans to revive the "Veshi Fahi Malé" programme as part of efforts to reduce congestion and make the capital a more liveable city.

The initiative was unveiled during a public meeting on the council's five-year Strategic Action Plan for the development of Malé and Vilimalé.

The council said the programme aims to provide a long-term solution to overcrowding by clearing small plots of land across the city. These spaces will be converted into public parks and open areas for community use.

The Strategic Action Plan also includes proposals to redevelop the existing Sinamalé and Malé Hiyaa flats.

The Veshi Fahi Malé programme was originally introduced under former President Mohamed Nasheed's administration. It offered land or flats in Hulhumalé to owners who handed over small plots in Malé to the state, allowing some sites to be converted into public parking areas. The programme was later discontinued following the change in government.