Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Ameen on Wednesday, March 4, announced that efforts are being made to launch the government’s new taxi service on the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.
The minister shared these details during a press conference held to provide updates on the ministry’s ongoing projects.
Minister Ameen explained that commencement of this service faced delays due to necessary technical modifications required for the vehicles. He noted that since the service will operate in close proximity to sea, these essential adjustments ensure a long-term durability of the fleet under the local environment.
The service will utilize three different car models. One model, according to the minister, is being sourced from Thailand while the other two will be imported from China. Minister Ameen said these vehicles will be brought to Maldives in two separate batches.
According to the minister, the first batch of cars is expected to arrive at Sri Lankan port on Wednesday. Information from Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) indicates these vehicles will reach Maldives by March 11.
The confirmed arrival date for the second batch is expected to be finalized this Friday.
The government aims to officially launch the service on March 18 with limited operations, but the minister stressed MTCC’s primary objective is to achieve full operational capacity by Eid-ul-Fitr.
“We are focused on ensuring that this remains on track according to the current schedule,” Minister Ameen said.
The government plans to launch the service with an initial fleet of 150 cars.