RDC Trains 108 Personnel to Operate New 230-Vehicle Heavy Machinery Fleet

The Road Development Corporation (RDC) has launched a comprehensive training initiative for technical staff to operate and maintain a massive new fleet of 230 heavy vehicles. The machinery, which arrived in the Maldives during the first week of April, is central to the government's strategy to accelerate infrastructure development across the archipelago. The fleet includes a diverse range of excavators, forklifts, and dump trucks, all requiring specialized licensing and expertise. RDC Managing Director Ibrahim Nazeem confirmed that 108 employees from Malé and various atolls are currently undergoing rigorous certification. The training combines theoretical classroom instruction with intensive practical sessions hosted on the industrial island of Thilafushi. According to Nazeem, the training for both operators and maintenance crews will conclude next week. The corporation is simultaneously finalizing the registration process for the vehicles to ensure they are ready for immediate deployment. Once registered, the machinery will be distributed to recipient islands and specific projects, with an initial batch of equipment slated for twenty islands. Beyond the vehicle fleet, the shipment included four industrial tar plants—one 80-tonne unit and three 40-tonne units—imported from a leading Chinese firm to significantly boost the nation's road-building capacity. These resources are intended to support both current RDC initiatives and future development projects in assigned regions. A substantial portion of this new machinery is expected to be deployed to the newly reclaimed Gulhi Falhu. At this site, the RDC is collaborating with the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) to establish essential utility services. This large-scale investment in heavy machinery underscores a concerted national effort to expedite major infrastructure works, reducing reliance on external contractors and increasing the pace of development across the atolls.