Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Dr. Abdulla Muththalib has announced that the Government of China has decided to extend its commitment to provide maintenance services to the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge for an additional three years and a formal agreement is expected to be signed in the near future.
Speaking to PSM News, Minister Muththalib highlighted that the Sinamale' Bridge, inaugurated and operational since 2018, initially had a two-year maintenance agreement with the Chinese government, which expired in 2020. He aldo noted that minimal maintenance, such as sweeping and cleaning, had been carried out since the expiration of the agreement.
Additionally, Minister Muththalib emphasised the significance of bridge maintenance. He pointed out issues such as rusting guardrails and fallen letters from the entrance sign's arch. He also revealed that the Chinese government had offered an additional three years of free maintenance, but the previous government had not finalised the agreement.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had recently expressed the challenging nature of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge as a remarkable engineering project conducted in the Indian Ocean. He credited the project with positively impacting citizens' lives, symbolising enduring friendship between the nations, and contributing to the economic development of the Greater Male' Region.