Mexico: Weekly progress reports begin by section of the Maya Train

This is an automated translation of the original release published in Spanish. 

Statement from the Presidency of Mexico

Starting this Monday, the Government of Mexico will present a weekly report on the construction process of each section of the Maya Train to disseminate the progress of this priority work that generates jobs, promotes well-being, preserves archaeological heritage and cares for the environment.

Today, members of the Cabinet involved in the project and representatives of consortia reported on the first section, which runs from Palenque in Chiapas to Escárcega in Campeche, which consists of 226 kilometers, and passes through seven municipalities and 106 towns.

Four stations are projected, two bus stops, a maintenance base, a workshop and a garage, explained the general director of the National Fund for Tourism Promotion, Javier May Rodríguez.

There are twelve bridges, 383 cross drainage works, four viaducts and 176 vehicular, pedestrian and wildlife bridges as complementary infrastructure. For total inputs, 517,000 tons of ballast, 424,000 pieces of sleepers and 29,500 tons of rails are calculated.

In this stretch alone, 12,000 jobs have been generated to date. The president and executive director of Mota-Engil Latin America, João Pedro Parreira, explained that the first sleeper factory in Tabasco produces 40,000 pieces per month, thanks to the work of 430 trained people in two production shifts.

The construction of the workshop and garage in Escárcega, Campeche, led to the creation of 140 direct and 600 indirect jobs. For its next operation on maintenance and road systems, there will be 180 direct jobs and 240 indirect jobs that will pay for development in that state, said the director of Alstom Mexico, Maite Ramos Gómez.

The National Defense Secretariat is carrying out works on section 1. The head of the Maya Train Operations Coordination Center, Blas Andrés Núñez Jordán, explained that it involves the Palenque International Airport, Chiapas, which entails the expansion of aviation platforms, the increase in the height of the control tower, the remodeling of the passenger terminal building and modifications in terms of drainage.

He added that the Hotel Palenque will offer Master Room type rooms, gym, bar, restaurant, parking, cafeteria and restrooms. It is being built with a budget of 960 million pesos.

In section 1 there are 324 new homes and the federal government has a record of 250 social works in communities.

In Chiapas, Tabasco and Campeche, 2,653,190 people are beneficiaries of pensions and Well-being Programs with an annual social investment of 53,289 million pesos, highlighted the Secretary of Welfare, Ariadna Montiel Reyes.

The National Institute of Anthropology and History, headed by Diego Prieto Hernández, is coordinating the implementation of the Program for the Improvement of Archaeological Zones (Promeza) in cultural heritage sites that belong to section 1 located in Palenque, Chiapas; Moral-Reforma, in Tabasco; and El Tigre, in Campeche.

In all the infrastructure of the Maya Train, the security of archaeological zones and the complementary works is guaranteed, emphasized the Secretary of National Defense, Luis Cresencio Sandoval González.

“Units, railway security battalions … National Guard facilities will be created along the entire train route. Guard personnel will also participate on board the trains to create security conditions,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Ciudad Sahagún, Hidalgo, the manufacture of 42 modern, comfortable and safe trains continues; the first unit will be delivered in July 2023 to carry out the first rolling tests.

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