Thila-Malé Bridge Project Reaches 80% Completion, Vilimalé-Gulhi Fagu Link to Connect This Week

The Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure has announced that 80.32% of the work on the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, also known as the Thila-Malé Bridge, has been completed. The ministry confirmed that the connection between Vilimalé and Gulhi Fagu across the sea channel will be finished before the end of this week. Work is currently focused on installing bridge deck components, with 88% of the segments connecting piers now completed. Out of a total of 1,222 segments required for the deck, 98.53% have been cast and finished at the main casting yard in Gulhi Fagu. The 2.2-kilometer section from Malé to Vilimalé was fully connected last August. The ongoing Vilimalé-Gulhi Fagu bridge section is approximately 750 meters long, while the stretch from Gulhi Fagu to Thilafushi will be about 600 meters. The entire project spans 6.7 kilometers, including three sea-crossing bridges, link roads, and highways connecting the islands. The Vilimalé-Gulhi Fagu bridge will connect to Thilafushi via a 2.5-kilometer highway. Road construction is progressing in Gulhi Fagu, and revetment work is underway on Thilafushi to secure the bridge-land interface. The project, funded with $500 million from India's Line of Credit and the Maldivian government budget, is scheduled for full completion by the end of next year, when it will open for public travel.