Afcons: Thilamale’ Bridge one of the fastest compared to other overwater projects

The 6.7-kilometer Thilamale’ Bridge is being executed as one of the fastest and on-time projects compared to similar overwater projects, say India’s Afcons Infrastructure, the contractor of a mega project that is set to link Male’ City with Vilimale’, Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu.

In a statement on Sunday, Afcons described Thilamale’ Bridge as more than an engineering milestone, but a project that will redefine the Greater Male’ Area’s urban landscape.

“The bridge will eventually deliver smoother and safer connectivity while creating new avenues for housing, jobs and education, laying the foundation for wider economic opportunities across the connected islands,” reads the statement.

Addressing frustrations over the time it is taking to complete the project, Afcons said that rough seas and strong currents between Male’ and Vilimale’ present one of the biggest challenges for the project.

“These demanding marine conditions highlight why overwater bridges typically require more time to complete compared to land-based projects of similar length,” said the company.

Afcons said that globally, infrastructure projects of this length and complexity class show similar patterns.

The company took the example of the Sinamale’ Bridge in Male’, Shenzhen–Zhongshan Link in China, the Øresund Bridge in Europe, and the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in the United States.

Afcons noted that the shorter 1.39-kilometer Sinamale’ Bridge, took three years to complete, showing how marine engineering in the Maldives demands precision and resilience.

“Had it been of more than three-kilometer length, it would have taken more than 10-15 years to complete the project,” estimates the company.

Afcons then took the example of the Shenzhen–Zhongshan Link, a cross-sea passage completed in seven years, balancing bridge and tunnel elements under challenging marine conditions, and the Øresund Bridge, a combined bridge-tunnel project connecting Denmark and Sweden, that took seven years to complete, but reshaped regional mobility and trade.

Meanwhile, the seven-kilometer San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge took 11 years to complete, noted the company.

Afcons stressed that high-risk marine construction under extreme seismic standards stretch timelines well beyond initial estimates.

“These projects underline a simple truth that over water bridges are delayed because they operate in extreme environments where safety, weather, and precision slow the pace,” said the company. “By comparison, the Thilamale’ Bridge is being executed as one of the fastest and on time projects.”

Afcons believes that Thilamale’ Bridge is set to cross a psychological threshold, shifting from a future promise to a visible reality.

“The project is expected to influence how residents think about housing, employment, and education. For the Maldives, the project represents more than a physical crossing, it signals the gradual expansion of the capital’s boundaries and a reimagining of the city,” said the company.

The 6.7-kilometer bridge linking Male’, Vilimale’, Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu features the tallest precast segments to be produced in the world at 8.2 meters high and 25.3 meters wide.

The project is financed through an Indian grant of USD 100 million and a USD 400 concessional credit line from India’s Exim Bank.

It was awarded to India’s Afcons Infrastructure in August 2021.

The company expects to complete and open the Male’-Vilimale’ section of the bridge for public use by the end of this year.