Neighbors residing on Chapala’s Calle Zaragoza confronted Mayor Javier Degollado when he appeared early Wednesday, December 13 to inspect progress on the renovation work that has been underway since August 1.
Property owners lambasted the mayor for foul-ups that have put the project way behind schedule and multiple inconveniences they have experienced as the work drags on week after week.
The three-block segment located between Calles Morelos and Flavio Romero has been impassable since the start of a project that was supposed to be finished by the end of October.
The first phase of work involved tearing up the street to install new underground sewage drainage and water supply lines, to replace of leaky and damaged infrastructure at least 30 years old. Jalisco’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works (SIOP) covered the budgeted cost of 1,005,445.73 pesos and contracted a private construction company to execute that part of project.
The municipal government took on the responsibility of rebuilding the cobblestone street surface with added stone paver tracks, constructing new sidewalks and refurbishing home and business exteriors.
Residents complained that crews assigned to the project have worked in a haphazard manner, causing unnecessary delays. And once the underground work was done, progress stalled altogether until just two weeks ago. Meanwhile, many children and elderly folks have suffered respiratory ailments provoked by inhaling clouds of loose dust.
Ken Naddeo, an experienced California construction professional who lives in an historic home standing at the corner of Calle Degollado owned by his wife Maria Eugenia Cardona, groused about the shoddy workmanship he has seen.
“The water lines were put in so close to the surface that they got ripped repeatedly by the machinery they brought in to compact the ground.” Summing up the situation he commented, “People here are mad, and feel they have been cheated by their government. In my opinion this has been a giant waste of money.”
Degollado attempted to counter the gripes by pointing a finger at the state’s contractors for failing to meet their end of the bargain in a timely fashion. Although his reasoning did little to reassure his frustrated constituents, the encounter broke up with a pledge that the street work will be finished by December 22.
The city government faces similar boondoggles with the other ongoing public work projects such as the overhauls for Calle Morelos and the Ajijic highway.