Japan’s Tech International awarded MVR 24 million project to upgrade Male's drainage system

A Japanese company has been contracted to upgrade Male' City’s drainage system under a project worth MVR 24 million.

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

Under the project, a centralised monitoring station will be established to automate and remotely manage all 16 pump stations operating across Male'. The agreement also includes the provision of a jetting vehicle to support maintenance of the drainage network.

According to the ministry, the contract value is 247 million Japanese yen (approximately MVR 24 million) and the project must be completed within 487 days. A joint venture between Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd. and Yachiyo Engineering Co. has been appointed as the project consultant.

Flooding remains one of Male's most persistent urban challenges, with heavy rain frequently inundating streets and disrupting daily life. To ease the problem, the Male' City Council imported two high‑capacity Global 6GST Sea Moveman pumps earlier this month, each capable of discharging 11,356 litres per minute. The pumps are currently maintained by the Ministry of Defence.

The council is also carrying out canal‑cleaning efforts to improve water flow and reduce flooding during heavy rainfall.