City Hall begins works under the PAC Jardim Maravilha program to combat flooding in Guaratiba.

The Rio de Janeiro City Hall and the Federal Government took another step in expanding investments in the city's urban infrastructure. On Monday (June 22), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere inaugurated the PAC Jardim Maravilha and the first phase of the PAC Maré projects and signed the financing contract for the PAC Rocinha. Together, the projects total more than R$ 860 million in investments destined for drainage, sanitation, mobility, urbanization, and the recovery of public spaces.

Lula listened to the emotional testimony of Ivone Abrantes, a resident of Jardim Maravilha for over 20 years, who recounted the difficulties caused by the floods. The president highlighted the importance of the interventions for the residents of Jardim Maravilha.

"I know what you're going through. Carrying out improvements in this neighborhood so that you can live with dignity isn't governing, it's treating the people with respect. I'm very happy here. It's a dream of mine to be able to fulfill this dream of yours," stated the President of the Republic.

Among the initiatives announced, the Jardim Maravilha PAC represents one of the largest recent investments in drainage and flood control in the West Zone. With R$ 340 million in resources from the Federal Government, through the New PAC, coordinated by the Ministry of Cities, the project will directly benefit approximately 30 residents.

"The announcement we are making here today will change the reality of Jardim Maravilha forever," stated Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere, highlighting that Lula is the president of the Republic who has invested the most in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro.

The mayor of Rio recalled that the residents of Jardim Maravilha had been waiting for improvements to the area's infrastructure for over 60 years.

"This is known as the biggest flooding challenge in our state. They said that the population here had already lost hope, that there was no technical solution for Jardim Maravilha. But there is a way, and it requires public investment, with a budget," Cavaliere stated.

Eduardo Cavaliere expressed pride in the project developed by the city government for the region:

– It's a Brazilian solution, created by city hall employees, engineers from Rio-Águas, from the Infrastructure Secretariat, who designed the first dike in our city, in this format that will have a floodable area on one side to hold rainwater, and on the other side the dike that becomes a large bike path. There are three large reservoirs. It's sovereignty!

The project envisions the construction of a 3,4-kilometer dike along the Cabuçu-Piraquê River to protect the region from flooding. The structure will be up to two and a half meters high and wide enough to accommodate a bike path. Inspired by Dutch models, the system will function as a flood barrier.

The project also includes three large open reservoirs, with a total capacity to store approximately 231 million liters of water — a volume equivalent to 13 reservoirs in Praça da Bandeira. A canal on Avenida Barão de Cocais will carry water from the local drainage system to these reservoirs.

The project also includes the implementation of rain gardens, which help absorb rainwater, as well as the creation of squares and communal areas to expand leisure and sports options in the region.

Another 16 streets will be urbanized, with the installation of drainage, sewage, and water supply networks, as well as paving and sidewalk construction. The works will be carried out by the Rio-Águas Foundation, linked to the Municipal Secretariat of Infrastructure, with an estimated timeframe of three years.

In March of last year, the Bairro Maravilha program completed the urbanization of 27 streets in Jardim Maravilha and implemented a new leisure area on Avenida Barão de Cocais. The investment, with municipal funds, exceeded R$ 50 million and was also executed by the Rio-Águas Foundation.

PAC Periferia Viva: works begin in Maré and Rocinha receives funding.
The actions planned for the Maré Complex and Rocinha are part of the PAC Periferia Viva program, an initiative of the Federal Government, in partnership with the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, aimed at improving infrastructure in low-income areas. The program adopts a participatory methodology, with interventions defined through dialogue with residents, community leaders, and local institutions.

In Maré, the first phase includes the implementation of the Maré Linear Park in Vila dos Pinheiros and the headquarters of the Territorial Post in Baixa do Sapateiro. The park will occupy a currently degraded area on the banks of Guanabara Bay and will cover more than 8 square meters, with a multi-sports court, sand court, amphitheater, playground, community gardens, recycling points, bicycle circuit, and social areas. The first phase also includes the construction of the headquarters of the PAC Periferia Viva Territorial Post, expanding the presence of public authorities in the community. The works will be carried out by the Municipal Secretariat of Infrastructure.

While this phase begins, the City Hall and the Federal Government, together with the residents, are defining the next interventions of the PAC Maré program. The plan includes drainage, sanitation, paving, sidewalk improvements, implementation of bike paths, creation and recovery of community spaces, and expansion of green areas in locations such as Baixa do Sapateiro, Nova Maré, Timbau, Conjunto Bento Ribeiro Dantas, Vila dos Pinheiros, Novo Pinheiro, Conjunto Esperança, and Vila do João. The total investment foreseen is approximately R$ 172 million.

The agenda also included the signing of the financing contract for the PAC Rocinha works, which is part of the PAC Periferia Viva program. With an investment of R$ 350 million, the project brings together interventions focused on urban infrastructure, mobility, sanitation, and environmental recovery, following the same participatory methodology adopted in Maré.

The plan includes interventions in approximately 280 square meters of Rocinha, encompassing infrastructure works, urbanization, housing, and the opening of new roads to improve circulation within the community. It also includes the implementation of an urban mobility system and the requalification of approximately 9 square meters of the Rocinha Ecological Park.

President Lula and Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere also announce the PAC Periferia Viva program in the Complexo do Alemão.
Monday's agenda also marked the launch of the PAC Periferia Viva program in the Complexo do Alemão. With an investment of R$ 210 million, the project includes urbanization, mobility, housing, and environmental recovery initiatives expected to benefit more than 63 residents.

The starting point will be the establishment of a Territorial Post, which will serve as a base for the development of the Action Plan, built in dialogue with residents, community leaders, and local institutions.

The interventions will cover approximately 3 million square meters, including the areas of Morro do Itararé, Capão (Nova Brasília) and Travessa Laurinda (Morro do Alemão), as well as the main access roads.

The works include paving, construction of staircases, expansion of sewage and drainage networks, slope containment, reinforcement of the water supply, new public lighting, leisure areas, playgrounds, a skate park, requalification of Avenida Itaoca and Estrada do Itararé, implementation of a cycle path, recovery of 32 square meters of Parque Everest and construction of 192 housing units through the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program.

City of God will get a federal institute of technology.
Eduardo Cavaliere, along with the Minister of Education, Leonardo Barchini, also signed the transfer of a property in Cidade de Deus for the implementation, by the Federal Government, of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, offering free technical courses from high school to postgraduate level.

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• River-Waters

June 22th, 2026

Appointments: Alemão federal government Wonder Garden Maré CAP PAC Periferia Viva Rocinha