The Male’ City Council’s Vital Registration Office has been temporarily moved to Hulhumalé after a fire erupted in the Maafannu Green Building, which accommodates several key government ministries.
This relocation was necessary to ensure the continuity of essential services, including the registration of births and deaths, as well as the maintenance of records pertaining to residence and land ownership. The Vital Registration Office will now operate from the ground floor of the Amin Avenue Maple in Hulhumalé.
In a statement, the council confirmed that all services previously offered at the Male’ location have been shifted to the Hulhumalé office. Council staff, along with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), are actively working to recover important documents from the fire-affected premises.
Deputy Mayor Ahmed Nareesh, who was on-site during the incident, noted that while it is possible to obtain a replacement for lost birth certificates, the destruction of registry documents related to land or housing presents a significant challenge, as they cannot be retrieved once destroyed.
The fire, which started at the Maafannu Green Building, was eventually brought under control after four hours. This building also hosts the Housing Ministry, Environment Ministry, and the Construction and Infrastructure Ministry, as well as a Male’ City Council office. The authorities are now assessing the damage and working towards salvaging any remaining documents.
