Government to Establish Traffic Monitoring Centre as Malé Road Upgrades Advance

The government has announced plans to establish a Traffic Monitoring Centre as part of a broader effort to address congestion and improve traffic management in the Greater Malé Region.

Economic Development, Transport and Trade Minister Mohamed Saeed made the announcement during a press conference at the President’s Office, saying the initiative forms part of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s wider vision to tackle traffic problems through coordinated government action.

Saeed said the government is working to modernize Malé’s road network, with the city’s ring road being developed as an example of the administration’s approach to creating roads that are both functional and visually improved. He said the government intends to bring other roads in the capital up to a similar standard.

According to the minister, with assistance from the Chinese government, the reconstruction of roads across Malé is expected to begin within this year. He stressed that improvements to physical infrastructure must be accompanied by changes in how traffic is regulated and monitored.

The proposed Traffic Monitoring Centre is expected to support this broader shift by providing a more organized approach to managing traffic as the capital’s road infrastructure is upgraded.

The announcement comes alongside the government’s implementation of a legal framework designating the Greater Malé Area as a registration-controlled zone. Saeed explained that the measure is intended to regulate vehicle registrations rather than impose a blanket ban on registering vehicles in the area.

Under the new framework, vehicle registrations would be allowed according to defined standards and procedures. The government has argued that controlling the growth and management of vehicles in the Greater Malé Area is necessary to address traffic congestion and improve public safety, particularly given the limited road space available in the densely populated capital.

Saeed said the legislation was developed following consultations with a range of stakeholders, including businesses, members of the public, government institutions and local councils. Issues raised through the councils were also reviewed as part of the process, he said.

The minister emphasized that public safety is the central objective of the registration-control framework, rather than simply restricting vehicle ownership or registration.

He also clarified that declaring the Greater Malé Area a registration-controlled zone does not prevent similar zones from being established elsewhere in the country. Under the law, other areas could also be designated as registration-controlled zones if circumstances require such measures.

The Traffic Monitoring Centre, road modernization programme and registration-control framework are therefore being pursued as interconnected measures aimed at managing the growing pressure on Malé’s road network while improving traffic safety and the overall movement of vehicles through the Greater Malé area.