The last part linking Malé and Villimalé through the Thilamalé Bridge project is set to finish tomorrow, officially connecting the two islands with a bridge.

Afcons Infrastructure, the Indian firm hired for the project, notified Sun that a special event to celebrate the significant milestone will occur tomorrow at 11:00am.

The company announced that the installation of the last segment signifies the completion of the "superstructure," or the primary framework, of the bridge section linking Malé and Villimalé.

Nevertheless, Afcons mentioned that various administrative and technical tasks, such as completing works, installing safety railings, and setting up lighting, will still require completion. Thus, while the primary structure will be interconnected, public access to the bridge will commence only after all final touches have been finished.

The Thilamalé Bridge initiative, started under former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and contracted to Afcons, faced major setbacks despite multiple completion deadlines that had been previously announced. Efforts have persisted under the current administration to finalize the long-anticipated project.

In August 2021, Afcons Infrastructure finalized the contract for the Thilamalé Bridge project, funded by a USD 400 million loan from the Exim Bank of India. Construction work officially began on August 2, 2022, after an inauguration event that included President Solih and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Solih's trip to India.

President Muizzu took office with a promise to evaluate the progress of the Thilamalé Bridge project during his initial 100 days. During his initial week in office, he directly examined construction sites in Malé, the waters between Malé and Villimalé, and the precasting facilities in Gulhifalhu. During this period, the building of the underwater pillars in the Malé region was in progress, with multiple pillars already seen above the surface close to Villimalé.