Thilamale’ Bridge Reaches 33% Completion, Says Construction Ministry

The Construction and Infrastructure Ministry has revealed that approximately 33% of the Thilamale’ Bridge, a project overseen by India’s Afcons, has been completed.

A senior delegation from the Construction Ministry conducted an inspection of the site on Saturday to assess the progress of the bridge construction. Among the members of the delegation was State Minister Ibrahim Thoaam.

Following the site visit, Thoaam reported on X platform, yesterday that 55% of the piling work for the bridge has been accomplished, marking an overall completion rate of 33% for the entire project. He noted that the project is currently running 1.2% ahead of the planned schedule.

Financed by India’s Exim Bank through a loan secured during the previous administration, the project has encountered delays compared to its initial timeline. Concerns were previously raised by the Construction Ministry regarding Afcons’ suitability for constructing sea bridges due to perceived lack of experience.

The current target for the bridge’s completion is set for September 2026.

Key project details include a total cost of USD 500 million (MVR 6.2 billion), with USD 100 million (MVR 1.55 billion) provided as grant aid from India. Additionally, experts from Turkey, Germany, and Australia are contributing to the bridge construction efforts.