HULHULE-MALE’ BRIDGE PROJECT

EIA for the proposed Hulhule-Male’ Bridge Project
are employed in each ferry. The peak hours vary according to domestic and international flight
timings. The passengers are mostly international and domestic airport users and people travelling
for employment.
The Hulhule and Hulhumale’ ferries are operated at scheduled timings. On a daily basis, an
average of 18,000 passengers commute to and from between Male’ and Hulhumale’ in the dhoni
ferries. The dhoni ferries makes an average of 113 trips every day. The seating capacity of each
ferry is 120 passengers. The passenger fare for dhoni ferries is MVR 5.5 each way and takes
about 20 minutes to reach the destination. On weekdays, rush hours start in the morning from
5:30am and continue till 9:00am; when the school hours and work hours for the government and
private sector begins for the day. The second peak would be between 11:30am and 1:00pm in the
afternoon. The time varies according to school student schedules for those attending schools in
Male’. In the evening, the peak hours fall between 4:00pm and 7:00pm. The flow of passengers
are mostly towards Male’ from Hulhumale’ for work and education purposes. In weekends, the
peak is observed in the afternoon from 2:30pm onwards and between 9:00pm and 10:00pm from
Male’ – Hulhumale’ sector and 7pm to 11pm in the Hulhumale’ - Male’ sector.
On a daily basis, about 1700 motorbikes are transported both ways, amounting to 9% of the
commuters carrying a motorbike to their destination. Motorbikes are charged MVR 15.00 for
one motorbike and one person and MVR 21.00 for one motorbike and two persons. Bicycles are
transported only rarely. There is also an express ferry operational every thirty minutes between
Male’ and Hulhumale’. Approximately 1500 passengers commute between both ways in the
express ferries. This is equivalent to 8% of the daily ferry dhoni commuters. The fare for express
ferries is MVR 25.00 and takes about seven minutes to reach the destination. A separate cargo
ferry operates between Male’ and Hulhumale’. The cargo ferry makes three return trips every
day except Fridays. On Fridays, the cargo ferry makes one return trip. In the busses operational
between Hulhumale’ and Hulhule’, an average of 1500 people commute every day. Majority of
the commuters are those employed in jobs in Hulhule’, mostly in Maldives Airports Company
Limited (MACL).
For transfers between Male’ and Hulhule’, two express ferries are operational every fifteen
minutes. On average about 600 people travel via the express ferry to the airport.
On the human resource side, MTCC employs total 320 staff in the transport operations of
Hulhule’, Hulhumale’ and Villimale’ ferries and busses. Staffs are under MTCC for MTCC
owned ferries and under the owner for rented ferries. Both locals and foreign workers, mostly
Bangladeshi men are in employment as crews.
It is estimated that approximate annual revenue of MVR 56 million is generated from commuters
between Male’ and Hulhumale’.
Prepared by: CDE Consulting & China Shipping Environment Technology
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