The Thilamale Bridge project has achieved a major milestone, reaching 75 percent completion as finishing touches actively commence on the critical section linking capital Malé with the suburban island of Vilimalé. Spanning a total length of 6.7 kilo-meters across the Greater Malé region, the USD 500 million mega-infrastructure endeavour has seen rapid acceleration over the past two years.
A pivotal breakthrough occurred in late August when the physical connection between Malé and Vilimalé was successfully established, completing the 2.05 kilo-meter marine structure between the two hubs. According to the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure, ongoing operations on this segment now concentrate on installing median barriers to divide opposing traffic lanes, as well as finishing deck preparations prior to laying the asphalt road surface.
In addition to roadway work, extensive preparatory steps are underway across the Malé-Vilimalé bridge deck to install safety railings, street illumination systems, and CCTV surveillance networks. Authorities noted that when the current administration assumed office, project execution stood at roughly 27 percent following substantial operational delays, prompting renegotiated timelines and closer coordination with both project contractors and the Government of India.
Parallel to the Malé-Vilimalé connection, construction work on the remaining segments linking Vilimalé to Gulhifalhu and Gulhifalhu to the industrial hub of Thilafushi continues to move at an accelerated pace. Simultaneously, civil construction teams are advancing work on the land-based highway routes and transition links designed to traverse each respective island, maintaining momentum across the entire transport network.
Jointly financed through an Indian Line of Credit alongside Maldivian state contributions, the project represents one of the largest infrastructure undertakings in the nation’s history. With the government maintaining a firm target to conclude all phases by the end of next year, the fully opened connectivity link is anticipated to substantially ease urban congestion while unlocking transformative economic and industrial growth across the Greater Malé corridor.