Military and civil works on the 11-kilometer border trench between Chile and Peru have reached 27% completion, officials confirmed during a recent site inspection.
The project, part of the government's 'Border Shield' initiative, involves excavations near the Line of the Concordia. Work is being split between the Chilean Army and the Regional Directorate of Roads (Vialidad).
Regional Presidential Delegate Cristian Sayes and General Manuel Provis of the 'Coraceruna' Armored Brigade inspected the progress last Friday. The inspection took place approximately 100 meters from the international border.
Construction progress and logistics
Currently, three kilometers of the total 11-kilometer project are finished. The construction is divided into two distinct fronts: the Army is responsible for 4 kilometers east of Milestone 11, while Vialidad manages the remaining 7 kilometers.
The excavations measure three meters in both width and depth. One trench sits west of the Panamericana Sur highway, managed by Vialidad, while the second sits east of the road under Army jurisdiction.
Work schedules differ between the two agencies. The Army operates seven days a week from Monday to Sunday until sunset, whereas Vialidad follows a standard weekday schedule from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The project timeline began on March 16, following the official start of works by President José Antonio Kast. The government aims to complete the entire 11-kilometer stretch within 90 days of that start date.
Army officials addressed concerns regarding sandstorms potentially filling the trenches. They noted that similar defensive excavations were successfully maintained during border tensions in the 1970s.
