Villimalé–Gulhifalhu Bridge takes shape as final segment joins islands

The final segment of the bridge between Villimalé and Gulhifalhu was installed on Friday, joining the two islands in a significant milestone for the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib announced on X.

Minister said the installation brought the Maldives closer to a more connected future.

He congratulated Afcons, Arup and the MIHUD team, while thanking the Government of India for its support and recognising the efforts of those involved in the construction.

The bridge forms part of the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, commonly known as the Thilamalé Bridge.

The approximately 6.7-kilometre network of bridges and causeways will connect Malé, Villimalé, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.

The project is being carried out by India’s Afcons Infrastructure and is backed by a US$100 million grant from the Indian government and a US$400 million line of credit from India’s Exim Bank.

Once operational, the link is expected to improve movement between the four islands, reduce logistics costs and support economic growth across the Greater Malé region.

The government is separately developing a new commercial port at Thilafushi as part of its plans to relocate Malé’s commercial harbour.

Friday’s installation follows the joining of the final segment between Malé and Villimalé in August, marking another construction milestone for the wider project.