The project to widen and modernize the Addu Link Road has been awarded to Hong Kong-based Chinese company Rotime Engineering and Technology Co. Limited.

Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr. Abdulla Muththalib signed the agreement on behalf of the ministry, while Rotime Engineering and Technology Managing Director Zhou Weidong signed for the company.

Under the project, the 12.3-kilometer section of Link Road connecting Detour Bridge and Hithadhoo Stadium will be expanded to four lanes and upgraded to modern road standards.

The redevelopment is expected to be carried out without completely closing the road, according to an earlier statement by Minister Muththalib.

The project was previously partly assigned to the Road Development Corporation. However, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development later removed the Link Road works from the corporation's scope and reassigned the project to another contractor.

Heavy equipment needed for the redevelopment has already been transported to Addu City, while preliminary clearing work began earlier this year.

The Addu Link Road was opened in 2003 and has undergone repairs on several occasions since then.

Despite those efforts, residents have continued to raise concerns over the road's deteriorating condition.

Residents have also linked the road's condition to a number of serious traffic accidents over the years, including crashes that resulted in fatalities.