In the process of economic recovery, infrastructure, roads and transportation projects have been launched, in an interview with Ángela María Orozco, Minister of Transport, He recounted the challenges and goals that they hope to reach a few months after the end of President Iván Duque’s term.
(See: Works awarded for connectivity in Cauca, Chocó and Putumayo).
How has the country advanced in 5G works?
The fifth generation of road concessions, 14 multi-modal projects, we have awarded three Cali – Palmira accesses, the Valle del Cauca road network, Alo Sur and Accesos Norte, which was recently awarded. In addition, we are in the bidding process for the middle Magdalena trunk lines C1 and C2, that is, Puerto Salgar – Barrancabermeja – San Roque and we also have pre-specifications of what Buga – Buenaventura is and we also have definitive specifications of what the App of the Magdalena River and the Canal del Dique App and we are working on the definitive permits for the airport projects and also the railway project, now, the most important thing is that all these projects are going to be awarded or close to being awarded or in process before August 2022.
(See: Attending accidents on the roads costs up to 3% of GDP).
And about 4G projects?
When we got to the Government, we only had six of the 29 concessions working very well, and two with problems. We had 21 projects totally paralyzed, 15 of them with advances of less than 10% and 10 of them with advances close to 1%, so, despite being contracts between 2014 and 2016, these projects were totally stalled and if one I looked at the total progress, we were at 16%. At this moment we have 27 of the 29 road concessions fully in execution, as a product of the work with the sector. In addition, we are going to deliver 13 projects, to the six already delivered to leave 19 4G projects by August 2022, added to the 10 remaining projects that will be delivered between 18 and 24 months after the end of this Government.
Ángela María Orozco, Minister of Transport.
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How do these works benefit in reducing time?
In general, it can help save from two hours to four hours of travel. For example, the Pacífico 1, 2 and 3 projects, which are the ones that connect the coffee region with the Port of Buenaventura, and to this is added the Tunnel de la Línea and the other projects that are connecting, a route that usually goes taking 18 hours, which was the transit of a truck that goes from Medellín to the Port of Buenaventura, reduces the time to 12 hours.
Now, if Pacifico 1 and 2 are added to Mar 1 and 2, the time from Medellín to Urabá is reduced by four hours, a journey that would take an average of 16 hours.
In this Government, in concession roads we would be delivering approximately 750 km of second lanes and third lanes and we would also be delivering, to date, 8 tunnels and we would be delivering 20 more, that is, 28. If these efforts are added in concession roads is what it had been done since the 1990s, that is the rate of execution of these projects, when we all work together, with the regions, we can have significant rates of execution and in a transparent manner.
(See: 4G routes reduce journeys to more than two hours).
What is the next project to deliver?
In April there is the Rumichaca – Pasto project that is already over 97% of execution.
How is the progress of the river projects going?
We are doing very well with the Magdalena River App, we are already working on the definitive specifications, the deadline for submitting proposals expires at the end of April, there are several interested parties and this is very rare for one of these projects, which is different, where no there are so many bidders in the world, they have asked us for a few more days because we are waiting for a decree to come out that will be in the coming weeks that gives flexibility to the entire issue of practical pilots for Appistas, this gives them an important flexibility that It will allow them to hire their own pilots directly and they will not have to wait for the signatures and that will allow significant savings in expenses, helping to have more bidders, which is already in the final specifications.
The Canal del Dique App is in its final phase of approval, only Confisque is missing to approve future validity, it is a procedure that we hope will be ready next week. In this way, this would be a project that is being awarded in the month of July.
About sustainable mobility?
Apart from the transformation of electric vehicles, the hydrogen route, we have great potential in this area, in long-distance charging it is optimal and long-distance passenger transport. By the year 2030 we expect to have between 1,500 and 2,000 light fuel cell vehicles and also have between 50 and 100 public service hydro generators throughout the country.
(See: They obtain financing of US$800 million for the Rumichaca-Pasto project).
PAULA GALEANO BALAGUERA
Journalist Portfolio
