Installation of bridge test piles begins; pillars next
Last month, an official at the bridge office told Atoll Times that concrete work on the four pillars was in full swing.
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By
Ahmed Mizyal
Installation of test piles in the sea for the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP), a bridge connecting Male, Villimale, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi, has started.
The planning ministry said in a tweet that concrete work on the first of the test piles (TP01) has begun.
"Two floating batch plants are being used for the purpose," the tweet read.
Mohammad Jinan Saeed, project manager for the bridge project on behalf of the ministry, told Atoll Times that this is the last work that needs to be done before a permanent pillar can be installed in the sea.
Jinan said the design of the bridge will be made after a geotechnical survey. The test pile will be put in place to ensure that the design is correct, he said.
Jinan did not specify a specific day when the permanent pillar would be installed.
Work on the permanent pillars is already underway.
Last month, an official at the bridge office told Atoll Times that concrete work on the four pillars was in full swing.
Bridge work schedule:
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Male-Villimale Bridge completion: July 2023 or late August 2023
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Villimale'-Gulhifalhu, December 2023
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Entire bridge completiong: November 2024
The GMCP project:
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Value: USD 500 million (MVR 6.2 billion)
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USD 100 million (MVR 1.55 billion) in Indian grant
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At present, 88 engineers are on standby
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By the end of this year, there will be 164 engineers
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Experts from Turkey, Germany and Australia are also involved in the construction of the bridge
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By the end of this year, 1,227 employees will be engaged in the work on the bridge
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Length of entire bridge: 3.6 km
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220,000 cubic metres of land reclamation in the project
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The 3 km road connecting the bridge will be constructed
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Exim Bank of India provided loans for the project
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The project was awarded to Afcons on 26 August 2021
