Sinamale' Bridge to close partly Monday for emergency drill

The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has announced a five-hour partial closure of the Sinamale' Bridge on Monday, September 9, 2025.

The north side of the bridge will be closed to regular traffic from 16:00 to 21:00 on Monday evening.

During this period, the north side will be exclusively reserved for emergency vehicles. Public vehicles will utilize the south side of the bridge, which will operate as a two-way thoroughfare.

ANNOUNCEMENT ????

Bridge Traffic Advisory for AFEX 2025. pic.twitter.com/cvsGuy5Zns

— Maldives Airports Company Ltd (@MACLmedia) September 7, 2025

An MACL official confirmed to Sun that the closure is necessary for an emergency exercise being conducted at the airport. Such exercises are typically held every two to three years. The objective of this particular exercise is to assess the preparedness of the airport's emergency services and the readiness of hospitals in the Male' area.

Participating entities in the exercise include the Maldives Police Service, Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and various hospitals located within the city area.