Thilamalé Bridge connects Vilimalé and Gulhifalhu as final segment completed

The Thilamalé Bridge has connected Vilimalé and Gulhifalhu following the completion of the final segment linking the two islands, marking another stage in the construction of the Greater Malé Connectivity Project.

Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib announced the development in a social media post on Friday night, confirming that the final segment between Vilimalé and Gulhifalhu had been connected earlier that day.

The Thilamalé Bridge is being developed to connect Malé, Vilimalé, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi through a road and bridge network.

The section connecting Malé and Vilimalé was completed in August.

With the latest development, the remaining major connection is the section extending from Gulhifalhu to Thilafushi.

In his announcement, Muththalib congratulated the project's contractor, India's Afcons Infrastructure, engineering consultancy Arup and the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure team for completing the connection.

He also thanked the Indian government for its assistance with the project.

"Congratulations to Afcons, Arup and the Housing Ministry team for this achievement. My sincere thanks to the Government of India for its invaluable assistance and to everyone who worked hard to achieve this milestone," Muththalib said.

The government is targeting completion of the Thilamalé Bridge in 2027 after several previously announced deadlines were missed.

Muththalib has earlier acknowledged that construction was not progressing at a satisfactory pace.

He said the project was the first major infrastructure development of its kind being undertaken by the Indian government outside India, adding that Afcons was continuing to gain experience during its implementation.

The Thilamalé Bridge is one of the largest infrastructure projects undertaken in the Maldives and is intended to improve transport connectivity between the capital and surrounding islands.

The project is valued at approximately USD 500 million, with financing provided through Indian assistance.

Of this amount, USD 100 million, equivalent to approximately MVR 1.55 billion, is being provided as grant assistance by the Indian government.

The remaining financing is supported through a loan from the Export-Import Bank of India.

The project involves specialists from Türkiye, Germany and Australia, alongside the Indian contractor.

Once completed, the bridge network will provide a road connection between Malé, Vilimalé, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi, improving access between residential, industrial and commercial areas in the Greater Malé region.