Malé, Maldives – Spokesperson of the President’s Office Mabrook Azeez has said that the construction of the Malé – Thilafushi Link Project, as part of the Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP) will kickstart in January 2021.
The government of Maldives and Afcons Infrastructure Limited signed the agreement regarding the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, that connects capital city Malé and industrial island Thilafushi earlier on 26 August 2021.
The GMCP is a 6.7 km bridge and causeway network connecting Male, Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi. The scope comprises three (3) navigation bridges of 140 m main span across the deep channel between each island, 1.41 km of the marine viaduct in deep water, 2.32 km marine viaduct in shallow water or on land, and 2.96 km of at-grade roads.
Furthermore, the land interchanges on Male’ and Villingili will be signalized junctions, while there will be roundabouts at Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi. Bus terminals are also planned on each island near the junctions with the mainline. Along with this, the project will also be using solar power for lighting purposes to use renewable energy as a sustainable measure in infrastructure. Solar panels are to be installed on the top of the lamp posts and along discrete lengths of the bridge parapets.
While this project will be fully funded under Indian grant and line of credit, India has also undertaken about 30 community projects under grant of which about half have already been completed in The Maldives.
