ANI awards Malla Vial del Meta P3 to Grupo Odinsa

With no competing bids entered before the hearing deadline for the Malla Vial del Meta public-private partnership (PPP; P3) project, Colombia's Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura (ANI) on Monday awarded the 30-year contract to Grupo Odinsa, the project originator.

The project calls for the operation and maintenance of 354 kilometres of highways between Granada Llano, Acacias, Villavicencio, Puerto Lopez, Puerto Gaitan and the Arimena Bridge. 

Construction works included in the scope of the project include the extension of the Villavicencio Ring Road; construction of divided highways between Porfia City and Acacias on the existing road that leads to Granada, between Ocoa River and Apiay on the road that leads to Puerto Lopez, and between the Catama Intersection and Yellow Bridge; paving of the road between Puerto Gaitan and the Arimena Bridge; and, improvement of key bridges along all of these corridors.

ANI said that the project will reduce travel times for tractor-trailers traversing the city of Villavicencio by 35 minutes. 

“The [PPP] Ring Road project will promote the development of Meta Llanos Orientales,” said ANI President Luis Fernando Andrade in a related agency release.

Additionally, the works will increase national highway capacity by adding 45 kilometers of new divided highways, and reduce vehicle operating costs and travel times by increasing vehicle speed in the city of Villavicencio and its approaches.

Total estimated investment is COP$1.26 billion (€455,000; $497,000). All funding for the project will be provided by Grupo Odinsa.