President Gustavo Petro made official a significant reduction in the rates of several tolls of the Autopistas del Café concession, a decision that will benefit thousands of drivers in the Coffee Region and that arises after weeks of protests and blockades in the region.
According to information revealed by The Time, The announcement was made this June 3 during a speech by the president in Tarapacá, Caldas, where he confirmed that some booths will go from charging around $17,800 to a differential rate of just $700 for certain users.
The decision will especially impact residents, transporters and workers who use the concessioned roads daily to travel between the municipalities of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío.
“We take away the value of these tolls, 17,000, more or less, it depends on the vehicles, which today costs 700,” said President Petro during his speech. The president also noted that his initial intention was to completely eliminate the charge, although a minimum rate was finally adopted.
According to what was reported by The Timethe measure had been previously announced by the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) and the Ministry of Transportation after several dialogue tables held with communities, transporters and representatives of the sectors that took part in the demonstrations in the road corridor.
The rate reduction comes after protests registered since May 15 at the Tarapacá II and San Bernardo del Viento tolls, where different sectors of the community complained about the high costs of charges and the future of the road concession.
The protesters especially questioned that private vehicles, campers, vans and buses should pay up to $17,800 for each step, a situation that, they argued, affected the regional economy and made daily mobility more expensive.
The debate was also related to the expiration of the Autopistas del Café concession contract, scheduled for 2027. Faced with this scenario, Petro explained that his Government’s policy is not to extend existing concessions, but rather to allow them to return to State control once the contracts end.
As explained by the president, the maintenance of the roads may subsequently be financed through resources from the national budget and not exclusively through the collection of tolls.
As explained by ANI and was quoted by El Tiempo, the special rate of $700 will apply at five toll stations located within the Autopistas del Café concession.
The benefiting points will be: Circasia, Tarapacá I, Tarapacá II, San Bernardo and Pavas.
The reduction will mainly cover vehicles classified within category I, which includes cars, campers and trucks, as well as category II vehicles, corresponding to buses.
For categories III onwards, the authorities announced that there will also be a differential rate, although the value will be proportional depending on the type of vehicle and its classification within the toll system.
The executive vice president of the ANI, Roberto Uparela, had previously stated that the measure was designed to especially benefit the communities located in the areas of influence of these toll stations.
During his speech, Petro argued that the high costs of tolls can become a barrier to the economic development of the regions and to the free mobility of citizens.
The head of state maintained that the reduction seeks to facilitate commercial exchange between municipalities, reduce transportation costs and allow more people to travel without facing high economic burdens.
According to the president, the measure benefits both farmers who transport agricultural products and workers who must daily cross these road corridors to reach their places of employment.
Likewise, he indicated that guaranteeing free movement is a fundamental right and that the high cost of tolls can become an obstacle to the economic and social integration of the territories.
With this decision, the Government hopes to put an end to the tensions registered in recent weeks around the Autopistas del Café concession and advance a solution that combines the sustainability of road infrastructure with direct benefits for the communities of the Coffee Region.
