Male | August 24, 2026 | INFRAINTEL Bureau
(The Hindu)
The final bridge segment connecting the Maldivian capital Male with Villingili has been installed, marking a major construction milestone in the India-funded Greater Male Connectivity Project.
The 6.74-kilometre bridge-and-causeway system is designed to link Male with Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi through three primary bridge sections.
India and the Maldives signed the implementation contract in 2021. The project, also known as the Thilamale Bridge, is financed through an Indian grant of USD 100 million and a USD 400 million line of credit.
The contract was awarded to India’s Afcons Infrastructure on August 26, 2021. More than 75 per cent of the work has reportedly been completed.
The Indian High Commission said the bridge uses precast superstructure segments reaching 8.177 metres in height, described as the tallest precast segments used in any bridge.
Former Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid welcomed the milestone and described the link as a symbol of Maldives-India friendship and India’s support for Maldivian development.
The project is the largest infrastructure undertaking in the Maldives and has strategic significance because it links residential, commercial and industrial islands in the Greater Male region.
For India, the project reinforces its role as a development and connectivity partner under its Neighbourhood First policy and MAHASAGAR vision. Completion quality, schedule control, debt and grant transparency and visible public benefits will shape its long-term diplomatic impact.