Skip to main content

Brazil: Dnit proposes suspending 61 projects due to lack of funds

Brazil's national department of transport infrastructure, Dnit, has approved a proposal to suspend work on 29 road projects across 12 states. The approval comes after severe budget cuts this year and the number of affected works could increase to 61. Dnit noted, however, that no work will be immediately stopped and that current contracts will be maintained. The proposal will now go before the Ministry of Transport and Planning and the Office of the Chief of Staff before it can receive final approva
May 9, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Brazil's national department of transport infrastructure, Dnit, has approved a proposal to suspend work on 29 road projects across 12 states.

The approval comes after severe budget cuts this year and the number of affected works could increase to 61.

Dnit noted, however, that no work will be immediately stopped and that current contracts will be maintained.

The proposal will now go before the Ministry of Transport and Planning and the Office of the Chief of Staff before it can receive final approval.

Dnit approval was based on an internal study which highlighted a lack of capacity to maintain these works given budget limitations. More than half of the department's budget has already been allocated to projects.

Meanwhile, a section of the BR-153 highway will go out to tender again, according to Valor Economico, an online newspaper.
 
The stretch of the BR-153 that connect the cities of Anapolis (Goiais) and Alianca do Tocantins (Tocantins) has been under the responsibility of contractor Galvao Engenharia since September 2014.

The highway’s importance is because it is used for the distribution of grains produced in the centre-west region of Brazil. The country’s national land transport agency ANTT has requested the preparation of new rules and regulations for the viability studies for the 624km section of the highway.

The original contract required that Galvao Engenharia widen the road over five years from 2014. However, due to its involvement in the Lava Jato corruption investigation, Galvao Egenharia had its financing requests denied by BNDES - Brazilian Development Bank, also known as National Bank for Economic and Social Development.

The company does not have enough money to conclude the initial works. After abandoning the project, Galvao presented ANTT with four proposals, including the transfer of the leasing contract.

Related Content

  • São Paulo calls US$1.6bn Tamoios highway PPP
    March 24, 2014
    Brazil's São Paulo state is due to call a tender by March 28 2014 to concession its Tamoios highway, a government official is reported to have told regional media. "Governor Geraldo Alckmin will be officially announcing the launch of the tender next week [Mar 24-28]," the official said last week without giving further details. Budgeted at US$1.61 billion (BRL 3.74 billion), the concession involves operating and maintaining the Planalto and Serra stretches of the Tamoios highway, also known as SP-99, which
  • Major Brazilian highway tenders due this year
    January 31, 2022
    A series of major Brazilian highway tenders is due during this year.
  • Brazil: contractors fear more layoffs as DNIT fails to pay up
    November 25, 2014
    The head of Brazil’s association of road constructors has warned of more layoffs unless the National Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DNIT) starts paying its contractors. Jose Alberto Pereira Ribeiro, president of ANEOR – National Association of Road Works - said companies already have been forced to lay off around 1,700 workers in light of non-payment by the government. Another 950 employees are on forced holidays. Ribeiro claimed DNIT failed to meet its financial obligations for September
  • Ukraine’s shattered highways
    July 26, 2024
    With no end to its war with Russia in sight, Ukraine is also fighting hard to cope with a growing backlog of major infrastructure projects, especially in terms of rebuilding the country’s roads and bridges. David Arminas reports.