The Nova Iguaçu City Hall called Ibama after technicians discovered that the billion-dollar Via Dutra expansion project damaged pipes from the municipal drainage network in the Rancho Novo neighborhood, between Rua Luís Sobral and Avenida Nilo Peçanha. The damaged pipes were rebuilt using the so-called "bacalhaus," improvised repairs characteristic of construction jargon.
The municipality warns that interventions on Dutra cannot be limited to new lanes, because without adequate channels and galleries to cross the highway, the structure becomes a barrier that holds back water and worsens flooding in the city. This is another chapter in an impasse that has been ongoing since 2024.
With an investment of R$ 14 billion — an amount nearly seven times Nova Iguaçu's annual budget — the Ecovia Rio Minas concessionaire failed to meet the 90-day deadline agreed with ANTT to present drainage studies. Instead of making the necessary corrections, the company proceeded with paving. Given the non-compliance, municipal authorities are seeking the intervention of the federal environmental agency.
