President Muizzu Makes Historic First Walk Between Malé and Vilimalé

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu marked a significant infrastructure milestone this week by becoming the first person to walk from Malé to Vilimalé. The President conducted the historic journey during an inspection of the Thilamale’ Bridge, accompanied by government ministers and senior officials. The walk follows the successful joining of the final segment connecting the two islands last week. As the largest infrastructure project currently underway in the Malé region, the Thilamale’ Bridge is designed to transform connectivity across the capital's urban sprawl. Construction began in 2022 and is being executed by India’s Afcons Infrastructure Limited. Upon assuming office, President Muizzu identified the acceleration of the bridge project as a primary priority. The current administration has engaged in close coordination with the Indian Government and the contractor to expedite the timeline. This push comes after the project faced significant delays under the previous government; at the time of the administration change, only 30 percent of the work had been completed. Despite earlier setbacks, the government reports that overall progress now stands at 76 percent. The administration aims to complete the entire project by the end of next year, emphasizing that quality control remains a top priority throughout the final phases of construction. Once finished, the project will create a seamless highway network connecting Malé, Vilimalé, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi. This connectivity system, consisting of bridges and causeways, will span a total of 6.7 kilometers, drastically reducing travel time and easing congestion in the region. The Thilamale’ Bridge project carries a total cost of USD 500 million. Funding for the development is provided through a USD 100 million grant and a USD 400 million line of credit from the Indian Government, supplemented by funding from the Maldivian Government.