Construction of US$770mn Minas Gerais subway line to start next year

The works to build line No. 2 of the subway in Minas Gerais state capital Belo Horizonte are set to start in May next year.

“The implementation measures for line No. 2 have begun,” subway operator Metrô BH said in a statement on the website of Brazil’s passenger transport association ANPTrilhos.

The environmental studies for the 3.90bn-real (US$770mn) project are underway and will be completed at the beginning of November. This will be followed by an environmental license request for the implementation and operation of line No. 2.

"The federal government and state authorities view passenger and cargo rail projects as having a strong environmental appeal due to their emissions reduction capacity, at a time when the ESG debate is gaining traction," Vicente Abate, president of national rail equipment manufacturers' association Abifer, told BNamericas.

The 10.5km line will have seven stations and will benefit an estimated 270,000 users in the Belo Horizonte metropolitan region.

The works are expected to be completed in October 2027 with concessionaire Comporte Participações in charge of the project. 

Comporte won the auction for the privatization of Minas Gerais state rail firm CBTU in December 2022 through which it assumed control of Metrô BH. The company, controlled by the Constantino family that founded local airline Gol, was the sole bidder with an offer of 25mn reais.

As part of the contract, Comporte will also extend and modernize the subway's 28.1km line No. 1. It has 19 stations and serves the municipalities of Belo Horizonte and Contagem.

Upgrade works on the stations have begun and works will start in December on the 1.7km extension, which includes a new station.

Of the total investment, 2.8bn reais will come from the federal government, 428mn from Minas Gerais and the remainder from Comporte.