Parts of the Sinamalé Bridge will be closed off to install solar panels, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology announced on Thursday.
The ministry stated that the lane closest to the shoreline will be closed off during designated hours for installation works. The solar panels will be placed on the 'island area' in the middle of the bridge that connects Malé and Hulhumalé.
The lane will remain closed everyday except on Fridays from 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M., and again from 1:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
The installation work will commence on Sunday, according to the ministry, and it is expected to carry on till February 2023.
“Closing hours were decided after extensive discussions with all relevant authorities. All travellers are advised to practice caution during the hours specified,” the ministry’s statement read.
The solar panel installation project is carried out under the ministry’s Accelerating Sustainable Private Investment in Renewable Energy (ASPIRE) and is funded by World Bank. The solar panel initiative will harness 7.3 million units of electricity annually. This will estimately save between MVR 15 to 20 million from state expenditures. The solar panel system is being installed by Thailand’s Ensys Co Limited.
This is the first time a renewable energy project of this scale in being carried out in the Maldives.
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