Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said on Tuesday that the Maldivian government had already paid the required US$12.6 million to the contractor of “China-Maldives Friendship Bridge” project.
The government aims to inaugurate the bridge on July 26, 2018.
The project, which is contracted to China’s CCCC Second Harbour Engineering Company, will see the development of a 2-kilometre long 20-metre wide bridge connecting the eastern end of Male’ with the northern end of Hulhule’.
The project will cost approximately US$210 million, of which 94 percent is provided by the Chinese government, which includes a grant aid of US$124 million and a soft loan of US$73.4 million, according to the Housing Ministry.
Dr. Muizzu said the remaining US$12.6 million had now been paid to the contractor.
At a news conference held to brief the media regarding the ongoing infrastructure development projects, the Minister said “the Chinese government accords high priority to the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge project, and dismissed media reports and claims made by some opposition figures that relations between the Maldives and China had faltered.”
He noted the Chinese government’s unwavering support for the project, adding that the work was progressing ahead of schedule.