Paraguay: 2024 Budget for the MOPC will be reduced by 28% but works will not slow down

By the Ministry of Public Works and Communications of Paraguay

This is a machine translation of the original press release issued in Spanish 

The third section of the Bioceanic Corridor, the paving of the PY12 route, the Sovereignty route, creating double lanes of the PY01 route and water and sanitation works, among others, are some major works that the MOPC plans to promote by next 2024.

This was explained today by the head of the State portfolio, Eng. Claudia Centurión, during a presentation made before the Bicameral Budget Commission of Congress, where the budget that will be allocated to the institution for the year 2024 was analyzed.

The minister highlighted that, although a 28.7% lower budget is proposed compared to 2023, the works will not slow down.

Among the projects that are currently in full execution, he cited, for example, the Pilar Coastal Defense, which is 98% complete, the Malla Sur works, which are 80% complete; the duplication of the Remanso (PY09) – Falcón route, which reached 65% progress, in addition to the Héroes del Chaco bridge, which has 105% of the work already completed

Added to the list are the Northern Corridor between San Pedro (San Pedro) and Belén (Concepción), which is around 24% complete, and the duplication of route PY02, whose works are 100% completed and are now entering the operation phase under the figure of the concession for 30 years.

Regarding the new ventures that are coming for next year, he announced the beginning of the processes to tender the long-awaited Sovereignty Route between Pedro Juan Caballero and Ypehú, as well as the paving of the section that connects Puerto Indio-Mbarakayú.

On the other hand, in relation to the improvement of route PY12 and the third section of the Bioceanic Corridor between Mariscal Estigarribia and Pozo Hondo, he mentioned that both already have a signed work contract and they are only waiting for the award of the inspection components to give the order. Of start.

In the area of water and sanitation, it is planned to fully begin by 2024, which covers the metropolitan area of Ciudad del Este, with a credit of USD 200 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Cooperation Agency. of Japan (JICA). At the same time, with the intermediate cities program of the Eastern Region that includes the districts of Santa Rosa del Aguaray, Santa Rita, San Ignacio Guazú and Carapeguá of more than USD 52 million from the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF).

Likewise, in the department of Central, the Drinking Water and Sanitation Program of the metropolitan area of Asunción – Lambaré Basin will begin, with an approved credit of USD 165 million from the IDB and FONPRODE and, finally, with regard to the Mariano basin Roque Alonso that will have USD 160 million of CAF allocated.

It is worth noting that all of these water and sanitation projects are made up of components to improve the water system, sanitary sewage and wastewater treatment plants.

Regarding the Public Private Alliance (PPP) of the PY01 route, between Quiindy and 4 Mojones, the minister mentioned that the prequalification stage was successfully completed and that currently, a reevaluation of the offers is being carried out and that once completed It will be moved to the next level: the competitive dialogue with the companies that are prequalified.

Finally, he spoke about other road works that are in the analysis phase, such as the concession of routes PY03 and PY06, whose preliminary projects are being prepared and prepared to be analyzed and eventually approved by the National Congress.