Puente Piedra Demolishes Occupied Homes to Widen Pan-American Highway

The Municipality of Puente Piedra carried out an operation on August 27th to reclaim spaces that had been occupied for years along the auxiliary lanes of the Pan-American North highway. The demolition of homes and removal of structures, described by the municipality as irregularly installed on public land, targeted areas near Parque El Recuerdo.

These actions are part of a broader effort to clear the right-of-way for future auxiliary road projects, which the municipality believes will improve circulation and alleviate congestion on the main highway. While the Pan-American highway falls under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Lima, Puente Piedra initiated this intervention due to persistent resident complaints and a lack of action from the metropolitan authorities.

However, the demolitions sparked protests from affected residents. Some families reported that the demolitions proceeded without adequate warning, preventing them from removing their personal belongings. Reports indicated that partial demolitions left some homes structurally exposed, and residents also faced disruptions to water and electricity services.

Witnesses captured footage of elderly individuals and children present during the heavy machinery operations. One resident questioned the legality of the demolition, asking for documentation from the Municipality of Lima that would authorize the eviction, asserting that the intervened road belongs to the metropolitan area. Previous operations in April and July saw the removal of informal commercial stalls and irregular structures to recover public space for road infrastructure projects.

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The intervened road belongs to Lima Metropolitana.