Construction begins on long-promised all-weather road to Humaitá and Paso de Patria

After decades of unfulfilled promises, construction has finally commenced on the Pilar-Humaitá-Paso de Patria route in Paraguay's Ñeembucú region. This long-awaited infrastructure project is set to end the historical land isolation of two districts rich in history and tourism potential.

The paving of the PY 04 route, which will permanently connect Humaitá and Paso de Patria to the departmental capital, began following numerous citizen demands and protests. Initial work includes earthmoving, clearing, drainage ditch excavation, and site preparation. Perimeter fencing and other preliminary construction activities are also underway.

Significant machinery and work crews are visible in areas like Paso Pucú and the access to Paso de Patria. Work is progressing on clearing the right-of-way and building the embankment that will support the future concrete pavement.

The project spans a total of 65 kilometers, divided into two contracts. Contract 1 covers the Pilar-Humaitá section (33.6 km of rigid pavement plus 6.4 km of access roads and complementary works), awarded to Constructora Acaray S.A. Contract 2, the Humaitá-Paso de Patria section (25 km), is being executed by Consorcio Caminos del Sur, comprising Benito Roggio e Hijos S.A. and Constructora Heisecke S.A.

The total investment amounts to G. 446,437,609,809 (approximately $59 million). This investment arrives decades after residents first called for the road, which has historically been impassable during rainy seasons, severely hindering access to health, education, commerce, and tourism services.