MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Embarrassing: Paraguayan gov't builds bridge inside private property

The matter was settled when local authorities made the owner a compensatory offer

Paraguay's Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) was involved in a shameful scandal after one of the bridges of a road under construction wound up within private property, it was reported Friday in Asunción.

The unusual “miscalculation” in the city of Caaguazú resulted in the land owner erecting a fence upon realizing the nuisance caused by a reinforced concrete bridge over the Tacurú stream, and one of its exits. The bridge crosses Caaguazú's San Francisco neighborhood and, unusually, one of its ends is completely off the street layout, rendering the structure unusable.

The project is part of a plan to build six new bridges in the department of Caaguazú to strengthen rural connectivity in strategic areas.

The DC Ingeniería contractors began paving work in the area, but took a 10-meter-wide by 25-meter-long strip of land owned by Aureliano Sanabria, who noted he tried to talk builders out of going through to no avail. He was told that the location could no longer be changed and that it would proceed at the established site, with DC Ingeniería management unresponsive to his plea.

As it is, drivers passing over the bridge must make a significant maneuver to get back on their way. The issue was settled after Caaguazú Mayor José Ríos made Sanabria a compensatory offer, which was accepted.

In a separate development, the MOPC awarded the maintenance dredging work for the Paraguay River to keep the country's main waterway operational. The project covers the section of the river from its confluence with the Paraná River up to the mouth of the Apa River.

Resolution No. 2099/25, signed by Minister Claudia Centurión, divides the work into three continuous lots, granted to three different bidders. Ingeniería de Topografía Caminos S.A., Terminal Occidental S.A., and Artes y Estructuras S.A.

In addition to dredging (measured in cubic meters), the contracts include the supply of buoys and beacons (signaling) and specialized services for each lot.