Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) has begun work to introduce additional safety measures at its housing towers, with priority being given to apartments occupied by children and persons with disabilities.
FDC Managing Director Hamdan Shakeel said the corporation is currently identifying such households at the Amaan Udhares and Amaan Dhoodhi towers as part of efforts to determine where enhanced safety arrangements are most urgently required.
The initiative is being undertaken under the guidance of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and follows a series of incidents involving children falling from high-rise residential buildings.
Shakeel said consultations are underway on measures that can be introduced to improve the safety and security of residents across the housing developments.
While additional safeguards are expected to cover all apartments, FDC is considering a phased approach that would prioritise units considered to face greater risks, particularly those where children and persons requiring additional assistance reside.
The move follows the death of a two-year-old girl who fell from a STELCO residential flat on Tuesday. A separate incident on Monday left a 16-year-old injured after falling from an Amaan Udhares tower.
The incidents have renewed attention on safety arrangements in the growing number of high-rise residential buildings across the Greater Malé region.
President Muizzu has since called for greater public awareness of the risks associated with high-rise buildings, describing the prevention of sudden and potentially fatal accidents as both a national and humanitarian responsibility.
He specifically urged residents to check the security of windows, balconies, railings and other areas that could present a fall risk, particularly in homes occupied by young children and vulnerable individuals.
The President also stressed that responsibility for preventing such incidents extends beyond individual households.
Families, caregivers and building management should work together to protect children, persons with disabilities and others who may require greater supervision, he said.
Muizzu additionally called on government institutions, state-owned companies, civil society organisations and members of the public to conduct structured awareness initiatives focusing on safety both inside buildings and in public spaces.
High-rise living has become increasingly common in the Greater Malé region as successive housing programmes have sought to address severe land constraints and housing demand in the capital.
Large-scale residential developments in Hulhumalé have substantially increased the number of families living in multi-storey apartment buildings, making measures such as secure windows, balcony protection, appropriate railings and household awareness increasingly important.
FDC is one of the principal state-owned companies responsible for developing government housing projects and has overseen major residential developments aimed at addressing housing shortages in the Greater Malé area.
The corporation’s latest initiative will initially focus on identifying households requiring greater protection at Amaan Udhares and Amaan Dhoodhi while consultations continue on broader measures that could be introduced across the towers.
