Greater Male Connectivity Project - India and Maldives Partnership

An Overview of the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP)

• The GMCP, funded by India with a grant of $100 million and a Line of Credit of $400 million, is the largest new development project India has undertaken in its neighbourhood.
• The project entails the construction of a 6.74 km long bridge and causeway that will connect the capital city of Male with the nearby islands of
  • Villingli,
  • Gulhifalhu, and
  • Thilafushi.
• Prior to this, the Maldives' largest connectivity project was a 1.4 km bridge funded by China that connected Male to the Maldives airport on Hulhule Island, and to Hulumalhe Island.
• The GMCP will include three navigation bridges of 140 m main span across the deep channel between each island, 1.41 km of a marine viaduct in deep water, 2.32 km of a marine viaduct in shallow water or on land, and 2.96 km of at-grade roads.

Image source: Indian Express

Importance of the Greater Male Connectivity Project

• The GMCP is a significant project as it improves inter-island connectivity in the Maldives.
  • Before the GMCP, transportation was a major hurdle for locals who relied on boats or seaplanes to travel between islands. This was particularly challenging during the monsoon season when the seas became rough.
• Nearly 40% of the Maldives' entire population resides in Male, which spans an area of just about 8.30 square kilometers, making it one of the most densely populated cities globally.
  • The city is heavily congested and has limited space for expansion.
  • This has led the Maldivian government to consider decentralizing and developing other inhabited islands by providing them with essential facilities like hospitals, which would encourage people to migrate to these islands, thereby reducing the pressure on Male.

The India-Maldives Connection

• The Maldives holds a strategic position in India's foreign relations and is a key player in its neighbourhood first policy.
• The GMCP is a testament to India's strong commitment as a development partner of the Maldives, in addition to being the First Responder in times of emergency in the Maldives.
• The GMCP is not only the largest project India is undertaking in the Maldives, but it is also the largest infrastructure project in the Maldives overall. This landmark project is expected to significantly boost the Maldivian economy.

Discover more about the India – Maldives relationship in the linked article.