- The 6.7-km Thilamalé Bridge, connecting Malé to Vilimale', Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu, has reached 75 percent completion.
- Of 1,222 deck segments needed, 90.4 percent have been cast and 72.9 percent installed, using the world's tallest precast segments.
- Financed by India via a USD 100 million grant and USD 400 million credit line, the Malé-Vilimale' section is expected to open by year-end.
The Thilamalé Bridge project has reached 75 percent completion, with work advancing on the main bridge deck and associated road and coastal protection components, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development.
The 6.7-kilometre bridge is being developed to connect Malé City with Vilimale’, Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu, creating a direct road link between the capital and key urban and industrial areas.
The ministry said work is currently focused on casting and installing the segments required for the bridge deck. Of the 1,222 segments needed for the deck, 90.4 percent have been cast, while 72.9 percent have been installed.
Road development works in Gulhifalhu linked to the bridge are also progressing, the ministry said. In Thilafushi, work is underway to install revetments as part of the project.
The bridge features precast segments measuring 8.2 metres in height and 25.3 metres in width, which the ministry said are the tallest precast segments produced for such a project globally.
The project is financed through a USD 100 million grant from India and a USD 400 million concessional credit line from India’s Exim Bank. It was awarded to India’s Afcons Infrastructure in August 2021.
Afcons Infrastructure expects to complete and open the Malé-Vilimale’ section of the bridge for public use by the end of this year.
