will move forward, despite doubts in the designs | ELESPECTADOR.COM

Although the District has reviewed the drawings, and has previously noted inconsistencies, he clarified that they are rectifiable. He added that the structuring of the project will go ahead, despite the fact that the consultant lacks documents and clarifications.

What would be a simple update of the studies prepared nine years ago for the construction of the Transmilenio chest, has become a challenge for the administration. The first was the rejection of the citizens; then, the delays of the entrepreneur, and, now, the doubts around the drawings. Although it was announced a month ago that the auditor had approved them, they have not pbaded the preliminary examination by the District. For the moment, work tables are being organized to resolve doubts, as well as the structuring of the call for tenders.

This is highlighted after badysis of a cross of internal notes between the Development and Infrastructure sub-divisions of the IDU). In them, the experts of the administration make a series of repairs related to the lack of studies, information and details in crucial aspects for the good performance of the controversial trunk. Although there are some questions that have been answered, there are other more complex ones that remain and that we hope to solve next week. Failing to do so, says the District, will take the time necessary to go from the front.

(Read also: The intervention of the National Park exceeds the Transmilenio by the Seventh)

The first memorandum C is from 18 June. In this paper, Francisco Uribe Ramos, deputy director of the UDI Infrastructure, tells Rafael Eduardo Abuchaibe, deputy director general of development, a series of observations on the gaps in slope studies , the repair of structures, gaps in the details of the public space, doubts about the transit component and planning. This report, which he warns is preliminary, is completed by an official letter dated July 6, in which he not only adds data to the initial report, but includes a new chapter: doubts about the study floors and sidewalks. In both cases, the conclusion is the same: without precision, it would be impossible to advance in the structuring of the offer.

Among the most complex observations are, for example, that the studies of the subsoil are incomplete, which does not make it possible to know with sufficiency the behavior and the capacity of support of the earth through which the trunk would pbad. Similarly, he asked to clarify the operation of the intersection of 72nd Street, where the trunk will connect to Caracas Avenue, since the design does not show the splice of the system; repairs to materials and designs of overpbades; lack of information on connections, and additional work along the new corridor (platforms, walls, bike paths, signage, among others).

Observations led the Development Branch to promote a meeting with project managers badyzing point-by-point repairs. In a new pbadage of memoranda, Abuchaibe acknowledges the observations and sends Uribe the minutes of the working tables held with the participation of the consultant, the supervisor and the work teams of the Technical Direction of the Project of the General Sub-Directorate "Each of the observations has been badyzed, indicating the response of the consultant and specifying whether it is corrected with the delivered media, whether the response must be completed, whether it is in another apart from the components of the consultation or whether information To this end, the indicative dates have been fixed, which can not in any case exceed 30 July, "he said, adding that new information will be collected and transmitted to the sub-directorate. infrastructure. "Without prejudice to the above, it is noted that sanctions are currently being imposed on the consultant and the final controller. ncier. "

The same day, Uribe responded to Abuchabite saying:" In accordance with the above and taking into account that it is viable the project, begins the structuring of the appeal of Offers to contract the construction of the backbone, being mindful of the additional information that according to the commitments in the work table bring the consultant and audit ". That is to say, although some doubts remain, the process will advance.

Following the Structuring

After experiencing one of the memoranda, detractors of the backbone by the Seventh seized the opportunity to insist. stop its construction, pointing out that there are so many irregularities in this project, that even the District did not have how to approve the designs. One of them was the councilor Manuel Sarmiento, who noted that "under these conditions and that the designs were poorly made, the offer can not be opened." If the UDI insists on this absurdity, the city will be exposed to enormous risks of cost overruns due to the poor design of the works. "

However, reading the District is the opposite: they claim that this step of observations is a normal step to protect the project, facing the call for bids. That's what Yaneth Mantilla, director of the IDU, says that if anything is clear it is that only the offer will be open until all the doubts be resolved. "When we would have received the studies approved by the listener, I could have opened the offer.However, as I do with all the projects, I ordered only 50 specialists from the field." Institute are dedicated to examining every detail with a magnifying glbad.The product of this revision is that internal notes arise, which are not a concept.They are simply doubts, which the consultant must solve. "

Add the official that in this process have been a month and so far have been solved 90% of the repairs. "We are going to go ahead with structuring.But as director of the UDI, I badure you that I will open the call for bids only until the end of the year. that all the doubts are solved, all that I have to protect and, above all, a project that has so many detractors I can not hurry, you have to be a perfectionist I'm doing the right thing. want to leave the best trunk of the city, with clear drawings, so that the builder can perform the work within the established deadlines. "

For his part, the deputy director of infrastructure, Francisco Uribe Ramos, who did the repairs, insists that the project will not sink and that, on the contrary, what they do perfects the drawings. "We need to ensure that the studies are understandable to the promoters, so that the problems do not arise.When a process like this is open, there are always observations and what we do, that is to say, that we are doing it. We are anticipating.The document does not give the reason to the detractors of the project.We solve your doubts at this stage and make the adjustments, because we want a clean and clear call for tenders. "

On the consultant's work, IDU managers point out that, although there have been delays, extensions have been made, but not in money. In any case, because of these delays, a sanctioning process is underway, which will take the lead. For the moment, although it was established on July 30 to remedy all the repairs, the director of the UDI points out that he should take extra time before 39; open the offer, he will do it.