Por Redaccion 
In the morning of today, the mayor of Vélez-Málaga, Jesús Lupiáñez, along with the Minister of Environment and Sustainability, Catalina García, have received the completion of a conditioning work that had a decisive impact on this road, which strategically connects the Los Zamoranos industrial estate with the Trops fruit and vegetable cooperative, a route frequented by a significant density of traffic, both from local residents and a significant flow of businesses in our area.
Specifically, the repair and improvement of the road surface and ditch have been carried out, contributing to the renewal and adaptation of a habitual livestock route, which in turn provides access to agricultural and fruit and vegetable companies that are so important to the municipality’s economy. The work has been carried out over a length of 2,230 linear meters.
The mayor of Vélez-Málaga, Jesús Lupiáñez, has expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of a «vital» project for the municipality and the Axarquía region, which represents a «major political and citizen demand» and signifies «another step towards improving the accessibility of our roads.»
Mayor Jesús Lupiáñez, Minister of Environment and Sustainability Catalina García, Territorial Delegate José Antonio Víquez, and Vélez-Málaga Infrastructure Councillor Jesús María Claros visited this morning the completion of the recovery and improvement works on the road known as Vereda de Vélez-Málaga to Riogordo, a livestock route that strategically connects the Los Zamoranos industrial estate with the Trops fruit and vegetable cooperative, also passing by various agri-food businesses to the El Trapiche population center. Conditioning works worth 550,000 euros have been carried out. The estimated execution period was 3 months, and the works were carried out over a length of 2,230 meters.
The mayor, on-site in the area alongside the representative of the autonomous organization, has expressed satisfaction with the completion of a project that represents «a political and citizen demand that we have been working on for some time and has now fortunately come to fruition.» The local mayor emphasized the significance of an action that connects the municipalities of Vélez-Málaga and Riogordo, facilitating traffic on a livestock route vital for circulation in the regional territory and with a significant socio-economic impact on the agricultural and livestock operations in Vélez-Málaga and the Axarquía region. Given the circumstances, Lupiáñez thanked «the great effort and investment made by the Andalusian Government,» in a crucial intervention that represents «a new, solid step in improving the accessibility of our roads, one of the main lines of action of the local Government.»
From a technical perspective, works to repair and improve the road surface and ditch have been carried out, resulting in the renovation and adaptation of the road surface for essential improvements in accessibility. «It was about responding to a traditional demand that aims to enhance the connectivity of our municipality with other areas in the region,» emphasized the mayor.
Socioeconomic Artery
Catalina García, Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Junta, echoed the words of the mayor of Vélez-Málaga, highlighting the «decisive contribution» that the renovation of this livestock route represents «in the sustainable socioeconomic development of the rural area it crosses.» It is worth noting that the Vereda de Vélez-Málaga to Riogordo routes the activity of an important segment of businesses in the Axarquía region, underscoring the significance of works to be carried out on a route that originated from moving livestock to winter pastures in November and summer pastures in May and now serves as «a necessary step to provide access to the agricultural and fruit and vegetable companies that are so crucial to the economy of this municipality.»
During her address, the Minister highlighted that the work in question has allowed for a complete renovation of the road surface and adaptation of the platform of this livestock route, which is part of the historic Andalusian grazing network. In this regard, Catalina García praised the «technical and logistical effort» made by the Ministry and the City Council to coordinate and expedite a project that included everything from demolishing the old pavement, transporting and managing waste, refining the terrain, concreting, installing reinforcements, and executing a new 15-centimeter-thick concrete surface adapted to slopes of up to 20%. The project has been completed 100%, with only the removal of waste generated during execution remaining. This network, as highlighted by the regional representative, «is now much more than a livestock infrastructure; it is a natural heritage with fundamental social, environmental, and economic functions for land management.»
The project is part of the plan to adapt and improve livestock routes, co-financed by FEADER, within the framework of the project «Revaluation of the Livestock Route Network as Green Infrastructure for Territorial Connectivity of Andalusia,» a series of initiatives that in 2025 will have a total investment of 740,000 euros in the province by the Andalusian Government.
Catalina García emphasized that since 2019, the Junta has worked on over 1,500 kilometers of livestock routes throughout Andalusia, with an investment of nearly 70 million euros, specifying that almost 6 million euros have been allocated to improving 110 kilometers in the province of Málaga.
FUENTE