The Comptroller General of the Republic held a technical table headed by Vice Comptroller Carlos Mario Zuluaga, with the purpose of defining strategies that will allow progress in the deconstruction of the old Pumarejo Bridge, in Barranquilla. Representatives of the National Highway Institute (Invías), the Ministry of Transportation, the Mayor’s Office of Barranquilla participated in the meeting.Fontur and Asoportuaria, who analyzed the challenges and actions necessary to execute this project that has been pending for several years.
During the session, the Comptroller’s Office reiterated that the demolition of the old bridge is part of the works under priority supervision of the entity, given its impact on the public investment already made. The control body warned that the completion of this intervention is essential for guarantee that the $791,000 million invested in the construction of the new Pumarejo Bridge fully fulfill their purpose: optimize the river and land connectivity of the Colombian Caribbean and avoid structural or navigability risks in the Magdalena River.
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The Comptroller General of the Republic warned that the necessary resources are not yet available to carry out the deconstruction of the old Pumarejo Bridge, in Barranquilla. According to the control entity, $116,000 million are required to complete the project, a figure that has not been allocated in the last two years..
The Comptroller’s Office indicated that lack of financing not only delays the execution of the works, but also prevents the new Pumarejo Bridge from fully fulfilling its functionsince the old structure limits the navigation of deep draft vessels due to the low height of the previous passage.
The old Pumarejo Bridge next to the new structure that connects the departments of Atlántico and Magdalena
Kronos Agency
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During the most recent technical table, headed by Vice Comptroller Carlos Mario Zuluaga Pardo, the Comptroller’s Office urged the entities involved – including Invías, the Ministry of Transportation and the Mayor’s Office of Barranquilla – to join forces to guarantee the completion of the project. The vice comptroller stressed that the permanence of the old bridge directly affects the usefulness of the new infrastructurewhich could constitute a detriment to the public treasury.
The comptroller general, Carlos Hernán Rodríguez, had already warned about the tax implications of not moving forward with deconstruction, pointing out that the delay in the allocation of resources compromises the efficiency of public investment. In addition, the project contemplates the dredging of the Magdalena River, a necessary work to ensure complete navigability and take full advantage of the benefits of the new bridge.
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The Comptroller’s Office insisted that the definancing of this process cannot continue and that it is urgent to define a concrete plan to guarantee the completion of a key work for the connectivity and competitiveness of the country.
Likewise, the control body will require the inclusion of a detailed schedule that includes the key stages of the process, including the issuance of the Conpes document, the contracting planned for 2026 and the execution horizon between 2027 and 2029. This roadmap will be essential to maintain continuous and transparent supervision over the commitments made by the responsible entities.
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The Comptroller’s Office also requested that said schedule include precise dates and designated responsible persons for each phase of the project.in order to ensure orderly execution and avoid greater fiscal impacts derived from delays.
This document will be reviewed and approved by the control body, and subsequently published as input for the permanent monitoring carried out by the Delegate Comptroller’s Office for the Infrastructure sector. According to Vice Comptroller Zuluaga, The passage of time without concrete progress increases fiscal risk and limits the benefits of the investment already made in the new infrastructurewhich is why he insisted on the urgency of establishing a verifiable action plan with clear execution commitments.
VALENTINA DELGADILLO ABELLO
Portfolio Journalist
