News Desk
MALÉ, — Public travel across the Thilamale Bridge is now expected to begin on December 21, 2027, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, as officials scramble to clarify project timelines following a fresh round of political finger-pointing.
The updated timeline surfaced after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu claimed last Thursday that his administration was forced to restart physical work on the massive infrastructure project “from zero.” He added that warmed-up diplomatic ties between Malé and New Delhi have since put construction on a fast track.
The President’s remarks drew swift public criticism, prompting Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mohamed Nasheed to take to X late Monday night to defend the administration’s record.
Nashid acknowledged that physical construction officially began on September 16, 2021, under the previous MDP administration. However, he argued that momentum was severely lacking, stating that only 27 percent of the project had been completed when MDP left office on November 17, 2023.
“Because of the special priority given to this project by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu when he took office, the pace of work has sped up many times over,” Nasheed wrote.
According to Nasheed, 76.1 percent of the total project is now finished, pushing the projected opening date to late December 2027.
The $500 million (MVR 7.7 billion) mega-project—funded through a $400 million EXIM Bank of India line of credit and a $100 million grant—is executed by Mumbai-based contractor Afcons Infrastructure. Designed to connect Malé, Vilimalé, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi, the 6.7-kilometer link has been plagued by shifting completion targets, technical hurdles in marine piling, and constant political sparring over construction speed since work began in 2021.
