The project to redevelop the Addu Link Road was awarded to Rotime Engineering and Technology Co., Ltd. today.

Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr. Abdulla Muththalib signed the agreement for this design-and-build project on behalf of the ministry, while Managing Director Zou Weidong signed on behalf of the contractor, Rotime.

According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, the contract involves developing a 12.3-kilometer section of the Addu Link Road. Under this project, work will proceed to widen the road from the Detour Bridge up to the Hithadhoo Stadium into four lanes. However, the value of the contract awarded to Rotime has not been disclosed.

The work to redevelop the Addu Link Road to modern standards was also previously awarded to the Road Development Corporation (RDC) in April of last year. RDC was given a period of three years and nine months to complete that project, which involved designing and building the Addu Link Road along with connecting roads and a drainage system.

Under that project, RDC was tasked with paving or laying pavers on 67.58 kilometers of CTB-layered roads, establishing a drainage system in Feydhoo, building sidewalks, and installing road markings and traffic signs. The ministry stated at the time that MVR 829.8 million from the state budget had been allocated to rebuild the Addu Link Road.

The 16-kilometer Addu Link Road, which connects Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo, Feydhoo, and Gan, was first initiated in 2001 during the presidency of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Construction was completed, and the Addu Link Road was opened for use in 2003.

The Addu Link Road was originally constructed using a 7.9 million US dollar loan obtained by the Maldivian government from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The work on the total link road was carried out by Høejgaard & Schultz AS-Lebanon, a joint venture between Danish and Lebanese companies. The link road was planned and designed by John Smart, a New Zealand expert.