According to the City of Buenos Aires Audit the Directorate General of Engineering did not conduct studies to assess the areas where rail crossings were going to be built. Therefore, "when obstacles arose, the costs increased" causing delays in completion, "the contracts were repeatedly modified by resolutions" and " works suspended."

This is the work concerning the administration of the Program Viaducts 2009 of the Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, which was intended to achieve greater fluidity in traffic, "without delay or downtime".

The report, approved last year, said that although the program was planned rather quickly, "only 33% of the crossings was enabled to the public" in 2010. Without a doubt, although they repeatedly changed the specifications of the contracts, "in breach of principles recruitment and gave greater facilities for contractors, 66% of the works were stalled, suspended or had very little execution.”

The AGCBA indicated that, in this context, a total of $ 29,168,864 for advances to the Government of the City "remain as frozen funds" by $ 15,934,898. Which means, giving that money to suspended constructions or jobs that hadn’t even begun, even though they could have retained it. Also "$6,104,502 was paid regarding stockpiles (advances for the provision of materials) for works that were suspended."

Unexpected Problems or Lack of Foresight

According to the audit, the crossing of Olazábal and former Railway tracks Mitre (branch José León Suárez), was approached by management in 2006 with "deficiencies and unpredictability." And besides, "was carried out without regard to existing flooding problems in the area", or "water works related to the reliever Arroyo Vega, who were awaiting execution." For the watchdog, "the Administration between 2006 and 2007" had "deficiencies and unpredictability in the development and planning of the projects."

In September 2008, the Head of Government decided that the work is suspended until the hydraulic problem is fixed. While the construction had yet to begin, in May 2010 the Secretariat for Urbanism and Architecture Projects and Infrastructure announced that it had developed a plan to solve Floods: reliever Washington - Blanco Encalada. However, the AGCBA said that "the hydraulic problem was not resolved for budgetary reasons" and that although "the crossing under the street level Olazábal cannot be done until the hydraulic works are performed, works of Washington- Blanco Encalada was not incorporated into the Plan AUSA ".

In addition, although the construction of the crossing has not yet resumed "restitution of $6,318,634 is not managed by way of financial advances" which were awarded to contractors.

Here We Go Again

Something similar happened in the work of low level crossings in the streets Manuela Pedraza and Crisologo Larralde and former Railway tracks Mitre (Tigre). In these cases, serious falls were discovered in the public hearings, conducted five months after the start of construction. Some irregularities were "Lack of height in the tunnel to allow the circulation of certain vehicles such as fire trucks and school bus transportation and lack of adequate ramps which would allow the crossing for people with special needs."

Slow Execution

The work of the low level crossing Punta Arenas on the former railroad Ferrocarril Urquiza was executed in 633 days, “exceeding the original term by 76%." According to the audit is happened "because of a delay in the signing of an agreement between the Government and Metrovías SA".

Direct Award

Once Stephen Bonorino Vehicular Tunnel and pathways of former Ferrocarril Belgrano Sur were finished, the Directors approved the execution of work "fees" by $ 3,653,108, which was to link Bonorino Street to February 27th Avenue. However, the report says: "The road is currently blocked by a wall built illegally. This underground construction was carried out by a transport company, blocking the street, so the government began legal action. "

The work carried out between December 2008 and April 2009 "was interrupted pending the fulfillment of the judicial eviction".

Beyond the lack of foresight, the report says that "the work was hired directly allocating the contractor" and "in breach of the Public Works Act N º 13.064 and general procurement principles."

Inspection of works

The City Auditor General said that "inspection of the work was contracted to third parties" and that the amount spent in 2009 for these tasks was $ 900,158.53. "If these checks had been carried out by government agents of the City, it would have meant a saving to the public purse,” adding that the AGCBA hiring such services makes "the Administration lose direct control of the construction jobs to the consultants.”