Maintenance Work Begins on China-Maldives Friendship Bridge

The Chinese company that was awarded the maintenance work for the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, which connects Male City and the country’s main airport, has started work.

China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) signed the contract with Second Harbor Engineering Company on Wednesday last week for the repair work on the bridge.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of the bridge maintenance work to China, the Minister of Construction and Infrastructure, Dr. Abdullah Muththalib said China will help maintain the bridge and increase the capacity of Maldives to maintain the bridge internally. The agreement was signed on April 2nd, 2023, between the Government of Maldives and the Government of China to develop facilities and provide technical assistance for the maintenance of the bridge.

The maintenance cost of the bridge will amount to roughly US $3.6 million. Under the agreement between Maldives and China, China will provide free maintenance work for the next three years, the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure said. During these three years, local engineers and workers will be trained to carry out the necessary maintenance work on their own, to create further independence of the Maldivian state.

Due to the negligence of the previous government in the maintenance works of the Sina-Male Bridge, many areas of the bridge have been damaged. However, the maintenance works of the Sina-Male Bridge have been resumed.