President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said the Thila-Malé Bridge project had to restarted by this administration from scratch and completed without significant further delays.

The project, awarded to India’s Afcons Infrastructure in 2022, is the largest ongoing infrastructure project in the Malé area. Speaking on The Pulse podcast, President Dr Muizzu said work on the project is now progressing at a rapid pace.

He said around 74.9 per cent of the project has been completed, with work currently focused on installing bridge deck segments. Of the 1,222 segments required, 90.4 per cent have been cast and 72.9 per cent have been installed.

The 6.7-kilometre project will connect Malé, Vilimalé, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi. Road works connecting the bridge to Gulhifalhu and revetment works in Thilafushi are also underway.

President Dr Muizzu said completing the project as soon as possible is a key priority for the Government. The project is expected to cost around US$500 million and is being funded through a US$100 million grant and a US$400 million line of credit from the Indian Government.