A huge cutout of President Abdulla Yameen was Thursday seen hovering above the capital ahead of the inauguration of a US$200 million China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.

The bridge will span from Malé’s eastern edge to the western corner of the island of Hulhulé, where the country’s main international airport is located, and opens to traffic on September 7.

The Yameen cutout was seen being lowered onto the ground hours ahead of the soft opening and spawned parodies on Twitter, with the president seen peering over a wall at an outside toilet and multiple Yameen cutouts lining the length of the bridge.

“There’s an idol of YAG next to the bridge now,” one person quipped, a reference to last month’s presidential edict ordering the removal of sculptures from a Maldives resort. The sculptures are still at the resort.

The Housing Ministry has scheduled six days of events to mark the inauguration, Raajje reported.

Friday will see the bridge host weddings, although the ministry has not said how many couples will be tying the knot.

Photo: @amaninaseem