News Desk
Workers have installed the final superstructure segment connecting Malé to Villimalé on the Thilamalé Bridge project, bringing the flagship infrastructure development closer to its first major operational deadline.
The project’s contractor, India-based Afcons Infrastructure, confirmed that the main physical link between the two islands is now complete. Crews are scheduled to finish laying asphalt across the entire Male-Villimalé stretch by September.
Funded through a combination of Indian grant assistance and a USD 500 million (MVR 7.7 billion) line of credit, the multi-bridge network is designed to link Malé, Villimalé, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi by road for the first time.
With the main deck now structurally linked, workers are moving ahead with surface preparation, asphalt laying, access roads, and nearby parking zones. Afcons said those complementary works will wrap up shortly.
When the current administration took office, only 38 percent of the overall bridge project had been completed. Since then, an additional 37 percent of the work has been carried out, pushing total completion past 75 percent.
Progress had previously stalled due to delays in seabed piling work. Project timelines were overhauled following high-level talks between government officials, the Indian government, and Afcons management, alongside eased local logistical processes.
The government aims to fully open the Malé–Villimalé segment to public traffic by the end of this year, with the remaining links extending from Villimalé to Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi slated for full completion before 2028.
