Construction of the Thila-Malé Bridge has reached 76.1 percent completion, with the major infrastructure link connecting Malé, Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi scheduled to open to traffic by December 2027.
The Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure provided the latest progress update as work continues across several sections of the 6.7-kilometre bridge and causeway network.
According to a Deputy Minister at the ministry, the government is targeting December 21, 2027, for the entire project to be completed and opened for public use.
Significant progress has also been recorded on the segments forming the bridge deck.
Of the 1,222 deck segments required for the project, around 84 percent have now been cast, while 54 percent have already been installed.
Work is simultaneously progressing on the infrastructure required to connect the bridge with Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.
In Gulhifalhu, construction is underway on the road network that will connect the island to the bridge. At the Thilafushi end, crews are installing culverts and carrying out revetment works around the bridge connection.
The Thila-Malé Bridge, officially developed as the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, is one of the largest infrastructure projects undertaken in the Maldives and is expected to significantly change road connectivity across the Greater Malé region.
Once completed, the link will provide direct road access between the capital and Villingili, Gulhifalhu and the industrial island of Thilafushi.
The project stretches approximately 6.7 kilometres and combines bridges, marine viaducts, causeways and land-based road infrastructure.
Three major bridges form the central components of the development, connecting Malé with Villingili, Villingili with Gulhifalhu and Gulhifalhu with Thilafushi.
The wider infrastructure includes three navigation bridges with 140-metre spans across sea channels between the islands.
It also includes approximately 1.45 kilometres of marine viaducts constructed across deeper lagoon areas and another 2.32 kilometres of marine viaducts covering shallow waters and shoreline sections.
Around 2.96 kilometres of at-grade roads are also being developed as part of the project.
Additional works include the construction of a vehicle ramp in Villingili and the development of the connecting road network in Gulhifalhu. Land reclamation is also included in designated areas of Villingili and Thilafushi to accommodate supporting infrastructure.
The project was awarded to Indian construction company Afcons Infrastructure in August 2021 during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
It was the largest infrastructure project initiated under the Solih administration, although less than half of the overall works had been completed by the end of his presidential term in November 2023.
Construction has continued under President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration, with the government setting a revised timeline for completing the remaining works and bringing the entire connection into operation.
The project carries a total value of approximately USD 500 million, equivalent to around MVR 7.7 billion.
Financing is being provided by India through a USD 400 million Line of Credit alongside a USD 100 million grant.
Once the bridge opens, vehicles will be able to travel directly from Malé to the developing commercial and industrial areas of Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi without relying on existing marine transport connections.
The link is also expected to become increasingly important as development progresses in Gulhifalhu, where major infrastructure and economic activities are being expanded.
With overall construction now passing the three-quarter mark, work is continuing on the bridge deck, island connections and supporting road infrastructure ahead of the targeted December 21, 2027 opening.
