AMLO decrees that railways concessioned for cargo will also be used for passenger transportation: “Travel will be more economical,” he states | News from Mexico

MEXICO CITY (GH).- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador decreed this day a “priority area for national development” to the passenger transportation service.

Today, in the Official Gazette of the Federation, the president ordered that in the concessions of the Mexican Railway System preference will be given to passenger transportation.

Decree declaring a priority area for national development, the provision of public passenger rail transport service in the Mexican Railway System,” it indicates.

López Obrador, during his speech that he led during the Mexican Revolution parade in the Zócalo of Mexico City, highlighted the decree published in the DOF.

The Revolution was made by train and on horseback and this announcement has a lot to do with our Revolution,” he said.

This day was chosen to announce that 17,484 kilometers of railway tracks will be used for passenger train service, because train travel will be more “economical, comfortable, less polluting,” he indicated.

In accordance with the decree, on the concessioned general railway communication routes, preference will be given to the provision of the public passenger railway service and the public freight railway transport service will be respected in terms of the provisions of the respective concession.

The concessionaires of the public freight rail transportation service will be the first to be invited to present projects for the implementation of the passenger rail service, within their general rail communication routes that were granted to them in concession. Interested parties must present their proposals to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation no later than January 15, 2024,” he specifies.

If the cargo concessionaires do not present a proposal, the Federation may grant the assignment titles to the Secretariat of Defense (Sedena) and the Navy or to individuals who are interested.

The first seven routes that will be concessioned will be:

1.- Mexico-Veracruz-Coatzacoalcos Train

2.- AIFA-Pachuca Interurban Train

3.- Mexico-Querétaro-León-Aguascalientes Train

4.- Manzanillo-Colima-Guadalajara-Irapuato Train

5.- Mexico-San Luis Potosí-Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo

6.- Mexico-Querétaro-Guadalajara-Tepic-Mazatlán-Nogales

7.- Aguascalientes-Chihuahua-Ciudad Juárez

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