Utheemu Council invites bids to landscape and develop historic Ganduvaru area

The Utheemu Council is seeking a contractor to landscape and develop the historic Utheemu Ganduvaru area in HA. Utheemu, a project aimed at enhancing and modernising the surroundings of the national heritage site.

In an announcement issued Monday, the council said it is inviting interested parties to submit proposals in line with the information provided by the council.

Parties wishing to participate must register for the bid by 1:00 pm on Monday via email to [email protected]. Those who fail to register within the stipulated time will not be eligible to submit bids.

The bid opening is scheduled for the 9th of next month.

According to the council, the development of the Utheemu Ganduvaru area is being undertaken in recognition of the long‑standing role played by the island’s residents in preserving the site. Last year, the President conferred a special national honour on the people of Utheemu for their service.

Utheemu Ganduvaru is the ancestral residence of Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu (Bodu-thakurufaanu), the national hero who freed the Maldives from Portuguese rule in the 16th century. Built in the early 1500s, the wooden palace is one of the most significant structures tied to Maldivian history and culture.

The Ganduvaru compound comprises three main wooden buildings and a large traditional thatch hall, arranged around a serene courtyard, a layout characteristic of elite Maldivian estates of the period.