Development of the 227km first segment of the Mayan Train project, Mexico's most ambitious infrastructure project that will traverse the Yucatan Peninsula, will commence on April 30, Mexico's National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur) has announced.

The winning consortium in charge of the construction is led by Mota Engil, Mexico Union's Lumat consortium, China Communications Construction Company, Gavil Ingeniería, Eyasa, and Grupo Cosh which placed US$622.18 million bid.

According to a recent article, the first phase consists of the Palenque, Chiapas - Escárcega, Campeche section of the line, and includes upgrading the existing Chiapas - Mayab line.

Following President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's order of continuing priority to mitigate the economic consequences of COVID-19, safety measures are already in place to protect the workers.

Mota Engil Mexico, the Mexican subsidiary of Portuguese infrastructure, engineering, and construction giant Mota Engil, has over 70 years of history and presence in Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

Aside from the upcoming Mayan Train project, its ongoing projects in Mexico include the "Siervo de la Nación" highway in the State of Mexico, the Cardel-Poza Rica highway, and the Tuxpan-Tampico highway, according to its website. It is also the consortium behind the expansion of Guadalajara's light rail infrastructure, a bypass in the Acapulco highway, and the Perote-Xalapa highway.

Meanwhile, China Communications Construction Company's projects in Mexico include the construction of an industrial park with manufacturing capabilities in the state of Jalisco.

Lastly, Eyasa, Grupo Cosh, and Gavil Ingeniera are all smaller regional Mexican infrastructure companies, although Eyasa has previously collaborated with Mota Engil in some projects.

In a statement to the local press, the National Chamber of Consulting Companies (CNEC) President Marco Gutiérrez expressed his dismay over the excessive presence of foreign companies and minimal presence of Mexican companies to merely fulfill national content requirements in the bid.

Gutiérrez explained, "Eyasa is from Xalapa and too small to participate in what will be this administration's biggest project. Grupo Cosh is dedicated to construction in the state of Querétaro and is also small. We have no idea who Gavil Ingeniería is. It is not coherent with what our country's president has been talking about regarding more being made in Mexico by Mexicans."


Funds "Should be Redirected"

In another article, a recent virtual strategic meeting between governors of Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Durango and Michoacan with more than 2,000 business people virtually, has led to the drafting of a proposal addressed to the Federal Government to cancel infrastructure projects Mayan Train and the Dos Bocas Refinery.

They claim that the resources are needed to be redirected to the reactivation of the economic activity in different regions of the country.

"There are proposals for the Federation to cancel non-priority projects for Mexico, such as the Tren Maya and the Dos Bocas refinery, so that these resources can be used for the economic reactivation of regions that will need them. Thousands of jobs will be lost that will not be recovered with the construction of the Mayan Train, thousands of companies and businesses are at risk," said the governor of Nuevo Leon, Jaime Rodriguez Calderon.

Fonatur has not yet issued a response to this opposition.

The winning bidder for the second segment of the Mayan Train project will be announced on April 30.

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