The closure in the Palín-Squintla Highwaydue to the work in the kilometer 44 of the South CA-9 routecontinues to affect one of the key roads for Guatemalan trade.
The measure, which will run from March 4 to 6, will have a significant impact, According to the transport guild.
From the sinking on the route, on June 13, 2024, repairs move slowly, while business cameras demand urgent solutions to mitigate the impact.
Time continues to pass without the road being fully repaired. This has generated losses and has tripled logistics costs, said Héctor Fajardo, business leader of the transport sector.
With an estimate of more than 25 thousand vehicles that circulate daily through the section, “The alternate routes where we have been diverted are not enough to fully absorb the mass transport load“He said.
Impact for the closure of the Palín-Squintla highway
The carrier said that mobilizing has become “very complicated” and that logistics has been severely affected. In addition, the economic impact is widespread for Guatemalans.
Touring the highway is fundamental, as it is the logistics corridor that leads to the other countries of Central America, Guatemala’s main export market to the south.
At the local level, delays in the transport of fuels and the supply of service stations are also generated, which in turn increases the costs of transferring this and other inputs, as well as raw materials.
Since the problem began due to the sinking, the tour of the Guatemala-Squintla route has been extended up to seven hours, when it took much less time.
A trip with an average time of 2.30 hours for carriers has become a journey between six and seven hours, that is, three times more than usual.
“We have made a great sacrifice. He has represented an impact not only on the time of deliveries, but on economic costs and in the delays for the delivery of the goods, ”said Fajardo.
How long have they been working?
The collapse in the Kilometer 44 of the Palín-Western Highway The June 13, 2024that is to say, Eight and 22 days have passed until March 5, 2025.
The problem was due to A sinking caused by the collapse of pipes obstructed by sediments, leaves and trunks dragged by the rains.
When the section was disabled, there was a crisis that to date continues to affect vehicular traffic and the national economy.
Business chambers have demanded from the Government the repair and immediate attention of the road.
The Executive tried to expedite reparation and obtain funds by approving a state of calamity. However, it was a failed attempt, since he did not get political consensus and was not approved by the Congress of the Republic.
The Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV) continued with the processes for the hiring of different construction companies for the repair of that point and two more that remain affected on the road.
He August 11, 2024the CIV enabled the vehicular pass after 57 days of the sinking, with openings in the slopes that were exposed to landslides and the Correntía.
How many millions will be invested?
The CIV has assigned the funds for the repair of three specific points on the CA-9 Sur road:
- Kilometer 39: Q10.5 million, by the consolidated company of Civil Works, SA
- Kilometer 44: Q59 million, in charge of the company A Construcciones, SA
- Kilometer 45: Q29 million, in charge of the company Design and Construction Projects and works mahogany.
Collapse chronology in the South CA-9
2024
- June 13: Sinking occurs in km 44 of the South CA-9.
- June 14-15: Alternate routes are enabled, but traffic collapses with delays of up to five hours. Caminos starts the first works.
- June 22: Guilds report millionaire losses and increase in logistics costs. Agexport and Chamber of Commerce alert on delays in deliveries and transfers.
- June 29: The Civ concludes the first excavation phase (22 meters deep). A month is estimated to enable the step.
- July 3: The Government seeks business support for repair.
- July 8: Calamity state is decreed, but Congress rejects it on July 11, leaving in key hiring pause. That day, the CIV dismisses the director of roads for alleged irregularities.
- July 16: An alternate path is enabled in Palín, but it is inappropriate for light vehicles.
- July 23: The Government coordinates with the Army for machinery and labor, but the lack of specifications delays private sector support.
- July 24: The Civ appoints Carlos Alfonso Asturias Ortiz as the new director of roads, in the middle of a crisis with 539 roads damaged by rains.
- October 30: Repairs are still detained and the CIV warns the companies in charge of legal actions if they do not speed up.
2025
- March 2: CIV issues notice about the closure of the highway from March 4 to 6.
- March 5: They report slow traffic on the alternate roads to the center of Palín and the old road, as well as National Route 14, in Sacatepéquez.