Thilamale' Bridge Reaches 80% Completion, Gulheefalhu Connection Expected This Month

The Housing Ministry has announced that 80.32 percent of the Thilamale' Bridge project, part of the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, is now complete. An official from the ministry told One Online that the main work currently underway on the bridge site is the installation of segments needed for the deck. 88 percent of the segment installation work required to connect one pier to another has been finished. A total of 1,222 segments are needed for the bridge deck, of which 98.53 percent have been cast. The official said the priority now is connecting Vilimale' and Gulheefalhu, adding that the connection is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Despite delays due to various reasons, the government's target is to finish the entire project by the end of next year. The government estimates the total cost of the mega project at $500 million, or over seven billion rufiyaa. The project is being carried out with a $100 million grant and a $400 million line of credit from the Indian government.