China has offered to undertake maintenance of the China-Maldives Friendship monument - SinaMale' Bridge - on a complimentary basis for an additional three years.
Speaking on state media, PSM, last night, Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib said that after the completion of the SinaMale' Bridge in 2018, the contractor had continued to manage the maintenance of the structure for two years to a high quality.
However, after the two years elapsed, there was a failure to renew the contract, resulting in maintenance of the bridge becoming increasingly neglected.
"Not much beyond sweeping and cleaning was done since then," the Minister said.
Emphasizing the importance of bridge maintenance, the Minister highlighted that it is key to ensure the expansion joints of the bridge are regularly cleaned, which, too, had not been done in the intervening years.
"The government of China has once again offered to handle maintenance of the bridge under free aid. They have identified the contractor as well, it has not been signed yet though," the Minister revealed.
The Minister said that although the government of China had made the decision, the contractor has not signed the agreement so far. He added that the contract would be signed as soon as the necessary permits are acquired.
The previous administration also announced in early 2023 that an agreement had been reached with China's CCCC company to extend the maintenance contract. However, no further updates on the process was revealed.
Due to the deteriorating condition of the entrance arch to the bridge, STELCO was assigned the work of repairing it late last year.
The SinaMale' Bridge is the largest infrastructure project in the country to date. USD 200 million was spent on the project, with USD 116 million of it being received as a grant from China. Additionally, China loaned USD 72 million for the loan, and the Maldivian government spent MVR 12 million.
Sign In