On Thursday, Dr. Abdulla Muththalib, the Minister of Construction and Infrastructure, revealed that the previous administration had signed a contract in its final days to extend the deadline of the Thilamalé Bridge Project until the end of September 2026.
One of the main projects of the previous government, the Thilamalé Bridge project, which connects Malé, Vilimalé, Thilafushi, and Gulhifalhu, has come under fire for moving slowly.
On Friday, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and senior government officials inspected the ongoing bridge work.
The project’s completion deadline has been extended from the end of next year to September 30, 2026, according to a supplemental agreement signed by the previous administration, which was disclosed by the Minister of Infrastructure during a subsequent press conference.
The Minister revealed that the deadline for the Malé-Vilimalé segment of the bridge was additionally extended orally, to March 2025. He did, however, promise that these agreements would be upheld by the current administration.
Minister said that the most important thing is to stick to the current schedule and explore the possibility of accelerating the project without going off course.
He emphasized that, given the legally binding agreement between the contractor and the government, expediting the project contractually was not possible. Even with the longer schedule, no extra funds will be spent on the project.
The Minister called it a substantial loss and acknowledged the project’s significant delay in moving forward. Though only 29% of the bridge has been completed thus far, he confirmed that the new administration is dedicated to doing everything within its power to expedite the project.
Thilamalé Bridge construction was given to India’s Afcons Infrastructure in August 2021, with funding provided by an Exim Bank loan of USD 400 million. The project’s slower-than-expected progress had already been acknowledged by the previous administration.
Despite the significant delays, the Minister made it clear that the new administration has no plans to obstruct Afcon infrastructure or end the current agreement. He assured everyone that there are currently no concerns about the project’s quality and expressed confidence in the quality of the workmanship on the Thilamalé Bridge.
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