With an app, citizens map broken sidewalks, potholes, and garbage dumps in Asunción

A citizen-led initiative in Asunción, Paraguay, is aiming to highlight the deteriorating state of the city's sidewalks and public spaces. Daniel Rolón created the website "Veredas de Asunción" (veredasdeasuncion.com) as a hobby, but it has quickly become a platform for residents to publicly document and report issues like broken sidewalks, potholes, and illegal garbage dumps.

The website, which has been live for only a few days, already hosts over 90 citizen reports. Rolón's goal is to create a comprehensive public registry, hoping that this documented evidence will eventually compel the Asunción Municipality to address the long-standing problems. "The idea is that a public record remains, so that the Municipality takes charge the day it truly wants to serve the people of Asunción," he stated on his social media.

Residents can use the platform by uploading photos of the issues, pinpointing their exact location on a map, and categorizing the problem as a pothole, broken sidewalk, or other municipal neglect. They can also add comments and upvote the worst-reported issues. The site even includes a one-click option to send the complaint directly to the Asunción Municipality's WhatsApp line, complete with all the details.

Currently, the neighborhoods of Recoleta, Villa Morra, Mariscal Estigarribia, Catedral, and Mariscal López show the highest concentration of complaints. Avenida República Argentina is the most frequently reported street, with numerous instances of damaged sidewalks documented along its length.