The mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, together with the director of the Urban Development Institute (IDU), Orlando Molano, made a visit to the work on 68th Avenue, one of the most ambitious projects in the capital that is part of the TransMilenio trunk line.
(Further: This is the company that supplies the steel for the construction of the Bogotá Metro).
During the inspection, both officials provided a detailed assessment of the current state of construction, the challenges faced and the progress achieved by the current administration.
For its part, Galán stressed that when he took office on January 1, 2024, he found a project plagued by delays and financing problems.The TransMilenio trunk line along 68th Avenue, with more than 17 kilometers divided into nine sections, should have been much more advanced than it actually was.
Instead of the expected 70% progress, only 38% had been completed. by the beginning of this year.
(Read: Inter-administrative agreement is signed to extend the Bogotá Metro to Soacha).
“It is crucial that citizens are well informed about how we receive the works and the steps we are taking to launch them and ensure their completion. This TransMilenio trunk line was contracted in 2020 and was due to be ready in 2025.“, explained Mayor Galán.
However, By August 2024, the work, although it has increased to 51.8% of its progress, still has a long way to go.
(Read: This is how the launching beam works for the Bogotá Metro works).
We received 68th Avenue with serious delays and we have set about the task of speeding up the work and making up for lost time.
68th Avenue has a total length of about 17 kilometers and 9 sections. It was contracted in 2020 and was due to be delivered in 2025. However, in January it was due to be completed… pic.twitter.com/fwqaofEvYI
— Carlos F. Galan (@CarlosFGalan) August 3, 2024
The mayor and the IDU director said that the project was received with multiple problems, including a lack of coordination between entities, non-harmonized designs and a lack of necessary land. “We have focused on reviewing and correcting all the necessary aspects to speed up the work and make up for lost time.“, added Galan.
Missing resources to continue construction
Regarding resources, Galán revealed that, during the handover, the previous administration mentioned a shortage of between 500 and 600 billion pesos for the IDU contracted works.
However, a detailed review revealed a real deficit of close to two billion pesos to finish the works already contracted, including 434 billion needed to finish the one on 68th Avenue.
(Further: ‘The discovery does not affect the development of the works’: IDU on the Comptroller’s report).
“We have dedicated ourselves to securing the necessary resources through efficient management and by working closely with auditors and contractors. Thanks to this, we have made significant progress in the District Development Plan to ensure the completion of these critical works for Bogotá.“, Galán concluded.
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