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Lima Takes Over Former Rutas de Lima Corridors, Suspends Tolls After Police Block Tunnel Closure

City officials say they are funding operations and moving to terminate the concession as control-center access and legal responsibility remain in dispute.

Overview

  • Rutas de Lima ended concession operations at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 3, citing the judicial suspension of toll collections as making continued service materially impossible.
  • Police and Santiago de Surco’s Serenazgo stopped the company’s attempt to temporarily close the Benavides tunnel, forcing removal of barriers and signage while the site remains under guard.
  • The Metropolitan Municipality of Lima deployed traffic inspectors, ambulances and heavy tow trucks, with Emape assuming maintenance duties, and confirmed travel will be toll‑free for now using municipal funds.
  • Municipal authorities arrived with a notary to document alleged abandonment, began the process to legally terminate the contract, and filed a criminal complaint that includes claims of removed safety elements.
  • The parties dispute operating needs and costs, with Rutas de Lima stressing the tunnel’s reliance on a specialized control center and the city estimating monthly maintenance at about 6 million soles versus the company’s 25 million figure.