Lima's Próceres-Wiesse Transit Project Faces Cost Overruns and Delays Amid Irregularities

Peru's Comptroller General has flagged a series of irregularities in the multi-million dollar Próceres-Wiesse rapid transit project in Lima's San Juan de Lurigancho district, raising concerns about potential cost overruns, schedule extensions, and compromised quality. The S/573 million (approximately $1.5 billion USD) megaproject, intended to ease traffic in the most populous district of Lima, is currently slated for completion in November 2026.

A report from the Comptroller's office detailed that the construction consortium began work on underpass No. 5, at the intersection of Wiesse and El Muro avenues, without obtaining the necessary authorization from Sedapal, the water and sanitation utility, for relocating potable water and sewage lines. This occurred despite an addendum to the contract mandating the submission of the complete technical file before commencing work on that section.

The audit also revealed a significant delay in the project's progress. Underpass No. 5 has only achieved 18.93% physical completion, far behind the 91.56% target for April of this year. This lag could jeopardize the overall project timeline, which aims to improve travel times along the 6.16-kilometer stretch of the Próceres-Wiesse corridor.

Further issues uncovered include 10 engineers involved in the project's execution and supervision lacking valid professional licenses from the College of Engineers of Peru. This raises questions about the legal validity of technical documents they have signed. Additionally, auditors observed deficiencies in material storage, with reinforcement steel left exposed to the weather, potentially affecting its integrity.