Source: BNamericas, October 3, 2014
Posted on: http://constfpn.advisen.com
Mexico City’s faulty No. 12 metro line was designed and built incorrectly, according to an investigation into the events that led to the line’s closure in March.
“The line was put into operation with the wrong trains on the wrong rails along the wrong route,” said Slobodan Petrovic, CEO of Systra Mexico, the company hired to investigate the issue.
Mexico City decided to halt services on the US$1.85bn metro line in March, just 18 months after it opened. Six trains were removed from service as a result of premature wear and tear along the entire track, causing bends in the rails and subsequent damage to wheels.
Repairs to the line are expected to cost 450mn pesos (US$34mn) but the deadline for completion of works has been repeatedly pushed back. It is now expected to be fully operational from November 2015.
The design, construction and quality of the materials used all contributed to the damage that led to the line’s closure, Petrovic told a lower house special committee.
Given the problems inherent in the design and construction of the line, the lack of maintenance was, he said, not to blame for the damage, as had previously been suggested.
A consortium consisting of ICA, Carso Infraestructura y Construccion and Alstom Mexicana completed construction of the 24.5bn-peso (US$1.85bn), 25.1km line in October 2012. They now faces legal proceedings over their role in the project.
Spanish rail company CAF supplied the metro cars.
The closure of the line is generating losses of 960,781 pesos a day, according to legislator Leobardo Alcal.
Lawmaker Ricardo Meja also criticized the government’s decision to award a further 200mn-peso repair contract to Alstom because of the firm’s role in the construction of the problem-hit line.
BNamericas will host its 5th South America Infrastructure Summit in Colombia on October 22-23.