Afcons bags largest-ever infrastructure project in Maldives

Afcons, the infrastructure arm of Shapoorji Pallonji group, has signed a contract for the largest-ever infrastructure project in Maldives. The $530-million project is funded by the Exim Bank of India under the Indian grant and Line of Credit (LOC).

It involves constructing the Male to Thilafushi Link project, popularly called Greater Male’ Connectivity Project (GMCP) over 32 months.

The project includes a 6.7 Km bridge and causeway network connecting Male, Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi islands. According to the government of Maldives, the bridge will be “a national economic engine and lifeline” connecting Hulhumale, Hulhule and Male with the proposed Gulhifalhu Port and the Thilafushi Industrial Zone.

The new bridge includes three navigation bridges of 140 M main span across very deep channels between the four islands, 1.41 KM of marine viaduct in deep water, 2.32 KM marine viaduct in shallow water and land, and 2.96 KM of at-grade roads. “This is by far one of the largest LOC projects secured by Afcons which is being funded by the Exim Bank of India. The project is a symbol of the robust India-Maldives relationship, and how both countries are cooperating with each other,” said S Paramasivan, Afcons’ managing director, in a media statement.

Afcons operates in over 20 countries worldwide. It is currently executing the Lusaka City decongestion project in Zambia. It has experience in infrastructure development in the Indian Ocean area, for instance, the Ambatovy Port development for nickel mining in Madagascar, and development of marine infrastructure facilities in Mauritius.

The company also constructed the recently inaugurated Atal Tunnel, which is the world’s longest highway tunnel 10,000ft above sea level. Besides, it is also building the world’s highest single-arch railway bridge in Jammu & Kashmir and converting a 5.6-km balanced cantilever bridge into a simply supported bridge by retaining the substructure and converting the concrete superstructure into steel superstructure in Bihar.