Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Ban-Tal construction faces delay
THE Banilad-Talamban flyover construction could face another delay after the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) said they could not transfer yet the 39 posts that block the construction site.
Veco will not be able to move the posts if the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 fails to secure the entry permits to the lots where the posts will be transferred.
And if the posts are not moved farther into the side of the road, work cannot proceed since these will be blocking the way.
The entry permits are needed so contractor WTG Construction and Development Corp. can widen the road when it starts constructing the last pier for the flyover. The road needs to be widened so that a lane for each traffic direction will still be available.
If the road is not widened, another option is complete road closure, which City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said will not be allowed.
Target
Veco spokesperson Ethel Natera said they need to transfer 23 poles (23 kilovolts), 13 secondary poles (240 volts) and three 69-kilovolt poles.
“The target is one month after the entry permit is given, we can complete the transfer of the poles,” she said.
Natera said that they presented Veco’s plans for the transfer of the posts to DPWH 7 officials during a meeting months ago yet.
“We’re just waiting for DPWH’s go-signal so we can proceed,” Natera said.
At the Cebu City Hall, City Planning Officer Nigel Paul Villarete said he will look into the report that WTG has no locational clearance yet for the flyover project.
He said, though, that such clearance is not needed for a national road project undertaken by a public office like the DPWH.
A locational clearance is needed as proof that a project has complied with the city zoning ordinance.
“A road or a flyover conforms to any zone. I don’t think it (locational clearance) is needed. But I think they (WTG) are applying as a matter of courtesy,” he said.
He added that what is important is the approval of the City, which was apparent when the City Council formally voted to endorse the project last year.
As for the entry permits, DPWH 7 Regional Director Josefino Rigor and Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) gave DPWH 7’s lawyer Agustinito Hermoso until this week to secure the permits. Hermoso is handling the road-right-of-way purchase.
They said the lots owned by the Carungay and Go families are considered critical because they are within the vicinity of the area where construction is ongoing.
Hermoso had assured that the two families, especially the Carungays, will issue the needed permits so construction can proceed as scheduled.
Last Wednesday, project engineer Christoffer Semilla told the council that it is important that DPWH secures the permits so it could start constructing the last pier within the month.
He said that if the permits will be delayed, WTG could not meet the target completion date of July 31, which is four months ahead of the contracted period of 10 months.
Construction could still end in July despite the lack of entry permits if WTG imposes total road closure, which they said would not be done.
The 395-meter flyover is under construction at the intersection of Gov. Cuenco and A.S. Fortuna St.
Businesses
Jakosalem said there is also a need to finish the project as soon as possible because businesses in the area are suffering.
He said that in the Banilad Town Centre (BTC) alone, at least four establishments already folded up.
BTC and Gaisano Country Mall owners have complained that business declined by 70 percent since WTG started building the flyover. (RHM)
