The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prepared to assess the damage to Villimale reef due to the bridge platform running aground. EPA said the work will begin once parts of the platform are collected and the area is cleared.
Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure said cleaning of the area has begun as soon as the bridge platform was refloated, adding if the weather favors, clean-up can be completed soon.
The self-elevating platform, which was brought in for geotechnical studies of the Thila-Male' Bridge, was hit by strong winds and waves on August 16 while the platform was being anchored. The planning ministry stated that the bridge platform would be removed by August 25, but the work was delayed after high tides prevented the platform from being refloated.
The ministry and the contractor of the project, Afcons Infrastructure Limited assure there would be no delay in the project timeline despite the incident.