President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has made a historic walk from Malé to Vilimalé during an inspection of the Thilamale’ Bridge, becoming the first to travel on foot between the two islands following the completion of a key connection on the project.
The President was accompanied by government ministers and senior officials as he inspected the progress of the landmark infrastructure project, which is now 76 per cent complete.
The visit comes after the final segment connecting Malé and Vilimalé was joined last week, marking a major milestone in the construction of the Thilamale’ Bridge. The bridge works are being carried out by India’s Afcons Infrastructure Limited, with construction having begun in 2022.
Speaking to the media during the visit, President Muizzu said the progress of the Thilamale’ Bridge reflects his administration’s commitment to ensuring that major infrastructure projects are carried out without interruption.
The President said that when the current administration assumed office, a number of major development projects across the country had either slowed significantly or come to a halt. Accelerating these projects was therefore made one of the government’s immediate priorities, he said.
“We worked to accelerate the projects after assuming office. As a result, work on several important projects that had been stalled has now been completed. These include the new terminal at Velana International Airport and the works at Hanimaadhoo Airport,” President Muizzu said.
The President said progress on the Thilamale’ Bridge was also not moving at the required pace when the government took office. He said the administration subsequently worked closely with the Indian Government and Afcons to accelerate the project.
President Muizzu thanked the Government of India, the Indian High Commissioner and the minister responsible for construction for their support in advancing the project.
The President said Afcons is now carrying out the remaining work at an accelerated pace and noted that the bridge has been fully connected. The government is targeting completion of all remaining works within a year, he said.
The Thilamale’ Bridge is the largest infrastructure development project currently underway in the Greater Malé region. The project will establish a 6.7-kilometre network of bridges, causeways and highways linking Malé, Vilimalé, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi, with highway construction progressing alongside the bridge works.
Accelerating the project was among the priorities identified by President Muizzu after taking office. The previous administration had awarded the project with the intention of completing it during its term, but only around 30 per cent of the work had been completed when the administration changed.
While the project has faced delays for various reasons, the government says particular priority is now being given to maintaining the quality of the construction while ensuring the remaining works are completed on schedule.
The Thilamale’ Bridge project has an estimated cost of USD 500 million. It is financed through a USD 100 million grant from the Indian Government and a USD 400 million line of credit, with additional funding from the Maldivian Government.
Highlighting the wider significance of the project, President Muizzu described India as an important partner in the Maldives’ infrastructure development and said the Thilamale’ Bridge stands as a symbol of the longstanding and close relationship between the two countries.
