American Expatriate Costa Rica

Villalta: “La Platina won’t be more expensive”

Minister of Public Works and Transport Carlos Villalta assured that the 2-month delay to complete the works on La Platina bridge, recently explained by Alfredo González Flores, will not mean a greater economic cost.

In October, a report from the Comptroller General’s Office (CGR) pointed out the constant changes in the terms and prices of the intervention.

According to the entity, the period went from little more than a year to become a work of 3 years and 4 months. The cost also increased: it rose from ¢ 4.391 billion to ¢ 7.409 billion.

However, Minister Villata declared that the increase noted by the Comptroller is due to variations in the scope of the intervention, where a new 6-lane bridge is being constructed.

In January, Mariano Figueres, Presidential Commissioner for the reconstruction of the areas affected by Hurricane Otto, announced that the repair and extension of the bridge would not be ready on February 28th as it was originally intended, because the works had to be suspended during the weather phenomenon.

Minister Villalta said that Otto would only have influenced the variation of the expected completion date, but he also admitted that a price adjustment could take place, but it is unknown whether it will be positive or negative.

crhoy.com