Thursday, August 09, 2007 Cracks on street prompt Citom to seek ‘stop’ order v. contractor
CRACKS were noted along Archbishop Reyes Ave., right by the construction site of Young Builders Corp., prompting the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) board yesterday to ask Mayor Tomas Osmeña to immediately order a halt in the excavation.
The board also recommended the closure of J. Solon St. from the Escario Ext. junction up to the corner of Archbishop Reyes Ave. to prevent accidents.
When construction started last May, the company closed half of the two-lane road, but without any authority from the Citom or the City Council.
Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, who presided over yesterday’s Citom board meeting, said they recommended for the mayor “to issue a cease-and-desist order on the excavation and order them to fix and secure the damaged area from further collapse.”
A portion of J. Solon St. caved in following a heavy downpour Wednesday last week. Before that, Young builders blocked off one lane to serve as a buffer for an 11-meter digging.
The excavation was for the basement of a 25-story hotel that Young Builders was contracted to build.
In a report, the technical infrastructure committee (TIC) said that after inspecting the excavation area last Aug. 2, it discovered cracks along Archbishop Reyes Ave.
“Cracks are observed to have developed in the pavement of the section along Archbishop Reyes Ave., which was closed to traffic, and that the cracks were sealed with adhesive to prevent water from seeping in the ground…(to prevent) another landslide,” it said.
The TIC also learned that “no permit or communication to the (Citom) was made prior to the closure.”
And when Senior Insp. Favio Cedenio, Jr. visited the site, he was told that Young Builders already coordinated and asked for clearance from Citom.
“An inquiry was made to the chief of the Traffic Group and the executive officer of Citom regarding the said coordination, but both (officials) said that there’s no one from Young Builders Corporation who came to the (Citom) office for that purpose,” the TIC added.
The report was prepared by Planning Officer Teodulo Maestrado Jr. and submitted by Traffic Officer III Rosario Dosdos.
In an interview, Jakosalem said that Citom Executive Officer Arnel Tancinco went to the site last Aug. 3 and confirmed the report.
Young Builders then sent a letter that same day asking to close half of J. Solon and Archbishop Reyes for two months “as this will affect our ongoing excavation work.”
Jakosalem said that although it asked for permission for the road closure after Tancinco went to the area, Young Builders did not inform Citom or the City that a portion of J. Solon already caved in.
In separate interviews with Sun.Star Cebu the other day, both Camputhaw Barangay Captain Lorenzo Basamot and City Engineer Antonio Sanchez said each will issue a work stoppage order on the company.
In particular, Basamot said that Young Builders should construct a retaining wall to prevent further damage on the road, which should also be repaired. (RHM)
