President Mohamed Muizzu has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the Thilamale' Bridge project, a major infrastructure initiative connecting Malé and Thilafushi, funded by Indian grant assistance.
Responding to a question at a press conference today, Muizzu stated that progress on the bridge is significantly delayed. However, he emphasised that the government is fulfilling all its necessary obligations to support the project.
"In reality, the pace is very slow. Nevertheless, the government is doing everything required of us. We recently reviewed and granted an extension following a formal request. I am certainly not satisfied with the current speed, and I do not believe any citizen would be happy with the project's progress," he said.
Muizzu noted that although a completion date was provided in last year’s Presidential Address, the work was not finished by that deadline. He clarified that these delays are not the fault of the Maldivian government, adding that this was the reason the project was not highlighted in this year’s Presidential Address.
"We will be very pleased once the project is completed. The government continues to provide the necessary cooperation. The current deadline has been pushed to 2027, whereas it was previously set for 2026, this year," Muizzu stated.
The project, contracted to India’s Afcons Infrastructure, was originally targeted for completion by May 2024. However, the timeline has undergone several revisions due to various factors.
Under the previous schedule, the segment connecting to Villimale' was slated for completion by March 31, 2026, with the final link between Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi expected by September 30, 2026. During today’s briefing, Muizzu indicated that these dates have been pushed further into the following year, though he did not specify the exact new deadlines.
