Santiago urban sanitation project halted by land dispute

Sanitation and beautification works in the Nueva York Chiquito area along the Yaque del Norte river in Santiago have been temporarily halted due to a legal dispute over land ownership. The project, which aims to transform the area into a linear park and recreational space, was being executed by the construction company Ecosisa in coordination with the Santiago Mayor's Office.

Inmobiliaria Avenida Duarte S.R.L. has filed legal claims asserting ownership of approximately 134,428 square meters of the land through a 'carta constancia.' Ervin Vargas, an urbanism and environmental advisor to the Mayor of Santiago, stated that the works must stop until a judicial hearing is completed. Vargas questioned the validity of the claim, noting that the land was previously declared for public utility during the administration of former President Joaquín Balaguer and argued that the company's documentation lacks precise coordinates to identify the specific location.