Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib has dismissed claims circulating on social media that there are depressions on the Thilamale’ Bridge, describing the reports as false information.
Dr Muththalib and the High Commissioner of India to the Maldives, G. Balasubramanian, visited the Thilamale’ Bridge project site to observe the quality and progress of the construction work. During the visit, they also met with staff from Afcons, the company undertaking the project, and reviewed the latest developments.
Speaking in an interview, Dr Muththalib said claims shared on several social media platforms regarding depressions on the bridge were inaccurate.
He explained that the bridge has been properly designed and engineered, noting that the structure is being assembled using separate segments connected together during construction. According to the Minister, the appearance of unevenness is merely an optical illusion when viewed from a distance.
“This bridge is designed and engineered. So it is not necessarily how it seems from far away. As this bridge is being joined together with segments like Legos, the segments would not match if there were such a defect. This is not a quality issue. This is an illusion seen from far away. Work is not being done because of such bends,” Dr Muththalib said.
The Minister highlighted that construction work on the project is continuing without interruption. He said the project is being carried out in collaboration with the Indian government and the contractor, adding that the Indian government is supporting efforts to accelerate the completion of the project.
Dr Muththalib stated that 72.17 per cent of the project has now been completed. Current work includes the installation and casting of bridge segments.
He added that the bridge will extend fully to Thilafushi and is expected to be completed and opened to the public by 2027.
The Thilamale’ Bridge project is regarded as one of the largest infrastructure development projects currently underway in the Greater Malé Region.
In addition to the 6.7-kilometre bridge connecting four locations, the project also includes the development of interchanges and parking areas on each island.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, 86 per cent of the required 1,222 bridge deck segments have already been cast, while 60 per cent of those segments have been installed.
The ministry further stated that rapid work is also underway to develop the connecting roads to the Gulhifalhu bridge. In Thilafushi, revetments and culverts are also being constructed as part of the wider project.