The Sinamalé Bridge ( dv, ސިނަމާލެ ފާލަން) links the islands of

Malé Malé (, ; dv, މާލެ) is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 252,768 and an area of , it is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is geographically located at the southern ...

, Hulhulé and

Hulhumalé Hulhumalé (; Dhivehi: ހުޅުމާލެ) is a reclaimed island located in the south of North Malé Atoll, Maldives. The artificial island is being built up by pumping sand from the sea floor, in order to meet the existing and future housing, ind ...

(through Hulhulé') in the

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

. The 1.39 km long bridge has two car lanes and separate lanes for motorcycles, and pedestrians, and opened on 30 August 2018. It was originally called the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge due to funding received from the

Chinese government The Government of the People's Republic of China () is an authoritarian political system in the People's Republic of China under the exclusive political leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It consists of legislative, executive, mili ...

. It is the first inter-island bridge in the Maldives. The idea of a bridge between the two islands of Malé and Hulhulé was first raised in 2007 and was widely discussed in 2008 following the pledge on constructing a bridge by the then president Maumoon during his presidential campaign.

Mohamed Nasheed Mohamed Nasheed GCSK (; born 17 May 1967) is a Maldivian politician and activist currently serving as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis since May 2019. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, he served as President of the ...

, another presidential candidate, and the opposition criticized the idea at the time It was started by president

Abdulla Yameen Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom ( dv, ޢަބްދުﷲ ޔާމީން ޢަބްދުލް ޤައްޔޫމް; born 21 May 1959) is a Maldivian politician who was President of the Maldives from 2013 to 2018. He left office on 17 November 2018 following his ...

in 2014 and was officially inaugurated in 2018. It is estimated the bridge would cost , of which will be paid by the

as a grant in aid.

China Harbour Engineering China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) is an engineering contractor and a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), providing infrastructure construction, such as marine engineering, dredging and reclamation, road and ...

(CHEC) is the main contractor and had been praised for the

Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge The Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge or Penang Second Bridge ( ms, Jambatan Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah or ''Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang'';) is a dual carriageway toll bridge in Penang, Malaysia. It connects Bandar Cassia (Batu Kawa ...

in Malaysia. On 8 January 2022 the Government of Maldives and the China International Development Cooperation signed a letter of exchange to conduct a feasibility study on the management and maintenance of the Sinamalé Bridge.

References

{{Reflist Bridges in the Maldives Bridges completed in 2018 2018 establishments in the Maldives China–Maldives relations

See also

References