Paraguay suspends paving project over technical concerns

A paving project in the Corateí district of Misiones, Paraguay, has been temporarily suspended by the provincial government following allegations of technical non-compliance. The Misiones Governorate ordered the halt to address concerns that the work by construction firm La Familia SRL did not meet established technical specifications.

Norma Medina, an architect with the Governorate, explained that such suspensions are standard procedure when project specifications are not met. The work will remain paused until a meeting can be held with company representatives to review the issues and determine necessary corrective actions. The project, contracted for over 1.5 billion Paraguayan guaranis, has a 300-day execution period.

Adding to the project's complications, local residents have voiced grievances. They report that the company is progressing to new sections without fully completing previous ones, creating significant access problems for their homes. The Governorate insists that each block must be finished before the next is started. Additionally, minor aesthetic issues concerning the stone placement and 'works of art' on the paving have been noted, though the stone laying itself is not problematic.

The project site, located in a low-lying area prone to water accumulation, presents further challenges. Medina indicated that parallel work on drainage and cleaning is necessary to facilitate water runoff. A technical meeting is scheduled with Governor Richard Ramírez to discuss the observations and decide on the project's continuation, with hopes to resume work by the following Thursday.

José Olmedo, representing La Familia SRL, cited modifications to the original project, specifically concerning the drainage system, as a factor contributing to the temporary halt. Initially, pipes were planned, but a more modern system was later chosen. Technicians from the company conducted a site survey to document the Governorate's observations, and this report will be presented at the upcoming technical meeting.