Ministry kicks off US$107mn hwy. maintenance program

Bolivia's services and public works ministry kicked off Tuesday a US$107mn, five-year national highway maintenance program, state new service ABI reported. The program, known as "Programa Nacional de Mantenimiento Periodico de Carreteras," will run through 2007, for which the World Bank has pledged US$34.3mn. As part of the program's launch, the ministry inked contracts with companies R&R and ICA-Bolivia, and Alfa Sudamericana Asociados and Conscal-Pavco that will carry out works between Paracaya and Epizana, and Sacaba and Paracti, respectively. The 85.4km Paracaya-Epizana stretch runs over the old Cochabamba-Santa Cruz highway, and is part of highway Ruta 7. Works will cost US$6mn and will take eight months; while the 72km Sacaba-Paracti stretch also runs over the old highway, and is part of highway Ruta 4.