Thilamale Bridge nears 1/3 completion, ahead of schedule
The current deadline for completion of the bridge is September 2026.
Around 33% of the Thilamale Bridge being constructed by India's Afcons has been completed, the Construction and Infrastructure Ministry said on Saturday.
A senior team from the Construction Ministry visited the site on Saturday to inspect the progress of the bridge. One of the leaders of the team is State Minister Ibrahim Thoaam.
After the visit, Thoaam wrote on X saying that 55% of the piling work on the bridge has been completed. 33% of the entire project is now complete, he said.
He said the project is currently 1.2% ahead of schedule.
The project, which is being funded by India's Exim Bank under a loan taken during the previous government, progressed much slower than scheduled during the previous government. The Construction Ministry had previously said that Afcons does not have the experience to build bridges at sea.
Thoaam's message on Saturday said the ministry is studying the challenges that may arise during the project.
"The necessary steps are being taken in advance to continue the work without delay," he wrote.
Construction and Infrastructure Minister Abdullah Muthalib had earlier told Atoll Times that Afcons was not prepared enough to build a bridge over the sea.
The current deadline for completion of the bridge is September 2026.
Key statistics of the bridge:
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Total Price: USD 500 million (MVR 6.2 billion)
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USD 100 million (MVR 1.55 billion) is India's grant aid
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Experts from Turkey, Germany and Australia are also involved in the bridge work
