They point out the terrible state of conservation of national roads in Cauca; They raise the right of petition about studies, investments, maintenance, etc.
The renowned engineers from Cauca, Rodrigo Castrillón Muñoz and Víctor José Gómez Mosquera, in a letter sent on March 21, 2023 to the Minister of Transportation, Guillermo Francisco Reyes, highlight the serious situation in which the roads are in Cauca and the imperative need to provide fundamental solutions, developing projects that avoid tragedies in winter times, as is happening in this region, which cut off the south of the country.
The engineers, who have extensive experience and knowledge of the road network, geography and environment, say that as a result of the landslide that occurred on the Pan-American highway, on January 12, 2023, which has caused serious economic damage to the south of the country and to the international road communication with South America, there was a great media display, mobilizing the national government to face the disaster that caused unfortunate losses in properties and homes on the site.
They point out that this fact is not new, since it has been occurring for many years, especially in winter, with loss of human life, physical and economic effects; however, state action has not been motivated to stabilize critical sectors and promote the adequate maintenance of secondary and tertiary roads that are sought today as variants in this emergency in which it is intended to restore alternative traffic in the Rosas sector.
The problem is fundamental, indicate the engineers Castrillón and Gómez, and it is necessary to undertake a Definitive variation in the Popayán – Patía section, since the current one was drawn up and built as a result of the emergency, on the occasion of the conflict with Peru, (1932-34), and crosses a zone of multiple geological faults.
“It is also necessary to definitively undertake a complete project that connects Cali with the department of Nariño, which includes the missing sectors of:
Jamundí – Villarrica 14 km approx.
Palmira-Villarrica 54 km approx.
Popayán – Mojarras 124 km approx.
Mojarras – Encano 157 km approx.
In this way, the fluid interconnection of the Colombian southwest would be guaranteed. They emphasize that these sectors have been forgotten by many local and national governments and by the leaders of Cauca and Nariño, which have been conspicuous by their absence and lack of interest.
geologist tips
Returning to the case of Popayán-Mojarras, Timbío – Rosas – Piedrasentada sector, they affirm that, as it is perhaps the most critical due to geological and environmental instability, it is opportune to take into account suggestions for action, such as those of the geologist Fabio León Torres, a native of Pasto, who worked with the firm Consultoría Colombiana (Concol), who indicates that in 2012, that private entity carried out a study that was in phase 3, on a dual carriageway with a speed of 80 km/hour and a length of 69 km, designing a safe modern highway, stable, with generous tunnels and viaducts to solve technical problems, both due to topographic and geological difficulties that would also shorten the initial 74 km route. “The State did not consider it a priority due to its cost, it was heard, or due to the fierce opposition of some influential politicians,” he argued.
A phenomenon of catastrophic instability had to occur, monstrous in its consequences, with incalculable economic effects, like the one now reported by all the media in the Rosas sector, Cauca, which left a section of the Pan-American highway impassable, who knows why. how long, perhaps months, for the Timbío-El Estanquillo project to be mentioned as feasible and necessary even by the President of the Republic himself. Although, in the long term, because its construction could take 5 years.
The geologist Chacón Torres continues in his writing: “It is known, of course, of the enormous amounts of money invested by the State for decades to mitigate the great geotechnical effects of the banking in the Rosas sector, due to the uncontrollable and well-known instability. It would have been much cheaper to build the new road.
Castrillón and Gómez cite former vice president German Vargas Lleras who, in his column on January 22, 2023, wrote: “Populism in infrastructure” “From Cauca flanked by his Minister of Transportation, President Petro complained that previous governments did not they did nothing to build a dual carriageway between Pasto and Popayán and announced that the Government of Change will do so to benefit all the poor communities of that corridor and connect Colombia with South America”.
The political leader also analyzes the bureaucratic problems that delayed the start of this work and states that “after 8 years of having this project ready to be tendered and having invested the ANI, almost seven billion additional pesos in consulting and intervention, what follows is to proceed immediately with the bidding for this concession”.
It is important to highlight, the Cauca engineers point out, the terrible state of conservation of the national roads in the department of Cauca, such as Popayán -El Tambo; Popayán – Totoró – Gabriel – López – Inzá; Popayán – Puracé – La Plata, Paletará – Isnos; Piendamó – Silvia; La Lupa – Bolivar; Roses – The Sierra La Vega, among others.
Right of Petition to the Minister
“Based on these assessments, we allow ourselves to present the following as a Right of Petition:
- How many Studies and in what phase are there for the Popayán – Pasto road.
- How much has been invested in conservation by Invias in the last ten (20) years in the Popayán – Mojarras sector.
- What is the Maintenance Plan for national roads by the current Government, for the department of Cauca.
- What is the cost and contractors of the temporary variants, on the Vía Rosas – Piedrasentada, (emergency 2023)
- What national plans exist for the Villa Rica-Jamundí dual carriageways; Villa Rica-Palmira.