Cozumel, Q.R. — The Cozumel Urban Development Directorate has closed the same irregular project in the south end twice. Island authorities shut down the construction of a dock and the clearing of land by company DEK 48.
It was shut down after inspectors verified that the company was clearing land on the southern coast and building a dock in the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone without having the corresponding permits.
The Director of Urban Development, Diego Roberto Lope Mena reported that on Wednesday following a citizen complaint, department personnel arrived at the site and suspended the work the following day due to a lack of documentation.
However, the company disregarded the order and continued the work until the pier was completed, resulting in its permanent closure. The project is being built along the Costera Sur Antigua highway.
“People were invited to present their permits but they didn’t. Situations like this cannot be allowed because they violate environmental and urban development regulations,” Lope Mena emphasized.
The DEK 48 project, Akabal Towers, contemplates the construction of 48 condo units distributed in two phases. According to available information, this is a Mexican investment with the participation of Cozumel shareholders with a valid permit until November for first phase development.
The second phase, however, lacks the necessary state and federal authorization for which the company will face fines. The complaint was made Wednesday and the project initially suspended Thursday, however, the company finished building the pier despite the suspension.
Inspectors have since returned to permanently shut it down for failing to comply with their suspension. “If you allow this, tomorrow you’ll find twenty similar projects,” he said.
