Afcons Infrastructure Limited has said the bridge platform, which ran aground on Vilingili, will be removed within two days.
The self-elevating platform, which was brought in for geo-technical studies of the Thila-Male' Bridge, was hit by strong winds and waves, the company said in a statement, adding there were 11 employees on the platform at the time and they were rescued following the incident that occurred while the platform was being anchored.
The public has expressed concern as it has been more than a week since the platform ran aground and it has not been removed. Due to the waves, the pillars on the platform have also collapsed, putting the reef in danger.
Following the incident, a meeting was held with the planning ministry, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Afcons. The ministry said the contractor assures that there would be no delay in the project timeline despite the incident. The EPA said the damage to the reef will be identified after the platform is removed.