Maya Train: $20 Billion Megaproject Cuts Jungle in Half, Extending 1,525 Km

Written by Bruno Teles

Published on 16/01/2024 at 14:21

Foto: Divulgação/Tren Maya

Be the first to react!

The Tren Maya, an ambitious project for a railway in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, extends over 1,525 km, aiming to revitalize the historically disadvantaged region. Initiated in September 2018 by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the project, managed by the National Tourism Development Fund (FONATUR), aims to reduce poverty and boost tourism.

However, the Tren Maya has come under scrutiny and concerns. Environmentalists, academics, and local communities question its impact on the delicate ecosystem of the region, including the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its effect on endangered species such as jaguars. Moreover, nearly 3,000 families have been displaced for the construction of the railway.

Construction Of The Railway

The construction of the railway began in December 2018, with a symbolic ceremony led by Lopez Obrador. In June 2020, several companies were hired for sections 1 to 5, while the Mexican armed forces were responsible for sections 6 and 7. The project includes the construction of 21 main stations and 14 stops, with parts of the route being electrified to accommodate passenger and freight trains.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Cost Of The Tren Maya

Initially, the cost of the Tren Maya was projected at US$ 7.4 billion, but recent estimates point to up to US$ 20 billion, nearly triple the initial budget. The majority of the funds come from a tourist tax in the region, with additional contributions from other government programs.

Although the project promises to increase tourism and create job opportunities, it faces serious environmental and social issues. The construction has resulted in significant environmental damage, with the clearing of millions of trees and threats to the world’s largest cave system, which houses an important aquifer. And of course, the alteration of routes and military oversight of the project have raised concerns about transparency and long-term impacts.

With operations expected to begin in December 2023, the Tren Maya represents a milestone in infrastructure development in the region, but also a question mark over the environmental and social sustainability of megaprojects.

0 Comments

most recent

older Most voted

Maya Train: $20 Billion Megaproject Cuts Jungle in Half, Extending 1,525 Km

Construction Of The Railway

Cost Of The Tren Maya

Libya built over 4,000 kilometers of underground pipelines to bring water from the Sahara to coastal cities in a project that the government itself called the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Desert sand, previously discarded for being too smooth for concrete, becomes an ecological brick in the United Arab Emirates, dispensing with Portland cement, curing at room temperature, and attempting to transform dunes useless for construction into raw material for a new arid engineering.

He transformed an abandoned plastic water tank into an underground house in the “hobbit hole” style, using only repurposed pallet wood, without heavy machinery or expensive labor.

China transforms desert-devastated area into the world’s largest artificial forest, planting trees for 60 years, blocking sand that reached Beijing, and creating a “green lung” of 92,000 hectares in a region once considered lost.

Toyota launches “family hybrid van” with 7 or 8 seats, 1.8 hybrid engine, fuel consumption of up to 23.8 km/l, and a price equivalent to about R$ 104,000 without taxes, below the Tiggo 8 Pro Plug-in Hybrid sold in Brazil: meet the Noah Hybrid 2026 in Japan.

With 70 tons of rock removed by hand and an 800-year-old abandoned cave, a former businessman transforms a dark shelter into a modern home carved in the heart of the forest.

Scientists have created a material six times lighter than air, 75 times lighter than styrofoam, and that becomes stronger the more it is compressed: aerographite seems impossible, but it can reinforce structures, batteries, and satellites.

Giant earthquake returns to haunt California after study points out San Andreas and San Jacinto faults at highest stress level in 1,000 years, with risk involving Los Angeles and other populated areas.

Thinking about buying a used HB20? See why the 2015 model is still a crowd favorite, with cheap parts, easy-to-fix mechanics, a strong engine, and quick sales.

Anvisa reveals flaws in supplements from IDNLABS and suspends 11 batches that include creatine, BCAA, beta-alanine, and multivitamins; the measure affects products with quality, composition, and labeling issues, while consumers are advised to check the printed codes on the packaging.

Scientists have mapped for the first time the largest biological network on the planet, formed by underground fungi with an extension of 110 quadrillion km that transport 4 billion tons of CO₂ to the soil per year.

Maya Train: $20 Billion Megaproject Cuts Jungle in Half, Extending 1,525 Km

The Controversial Megaproject Tren Maya, A Railway Enterprise Of US$ 20 Billion, Is About To Transform The Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. With 1,525 Km In Length, The Project Aims To Boost Tourism And Economic Development, But Faces Severe Criticism For Its Potential Environmental And Social Impacts.

Construction Of The Railway

Cost Of The Tren Maya

Libya built over 4,000 kilometers of underground pipelines to bring water from the Sahara to coastal cities in a project that the government itself called the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Desert sand, previously discarded for being too smooth for concrete, becomes an ecological brick in the United Arab Emirates, dispensing with Portland cement, curing at room temperature, and attempting to transform dunes useless for construction into raw material for a new arid engineering.

He transformed an abandoned plastic water tank into an underground house in the “hobbit hole” style, using only repurposed pallet wood, without heavy machinery or expensive labor.

China transforms desert-devastated area into the world’s largest artificial forest, planting trees for 60 years, blocking sand that reached Beijing, and creating a “green lung” of 92,000 hectares in a region once considered lost.

Toyota launches “family hybrid van” with 7 or 8 seats, 1.8 hybrid engine, fuel consumption of up to 23.8 km/l, and a price equivalent to about R$ 104,000 without taxes, below the Tiggo 8 Pro Plug-in Hybrid sold in Brazil: meet the Noah Hybrid 2026 in Japan.

With 70 tons of rock removed by hand and an 800-year-old abandoned cave, a former businessman transforms a dark shelter into a modern home carved in the heart of the forest.

Scientists have created a material six times lighter than air, 75 times lighter than styrofoam, and that becomes stronger the more it is compressed: aerographite seems impossible, but it can reinforce structures, batteries, and satellites.

Why can the crane operator only obey the correct signalman on the construction site: among dozens of workers, a hand raised by the wrong person can confuse the maneuver and turn a load of tons into an immediate risk.

What changes with the new public transportation rules that can reduce pressure on fares and pave the way for zero fare in Brazil?

Retired trains leave European tracks and become tons of steel, aluminum, and copper in dismantling yards where recycling exceeds 90%, but batteries, composites, and electronics create a new frontier of railway waste.

Argentina confirms Belgian giant to lead strategic Paraná River waterway and promises to reduce logistical costs on one of South America’s most important routes

The strategic railway of Santa Catarina will receive R$ 608 million, will undergo historic modernization, and could transform logistics between Mafra and the Port of São Francisco do Sul.

Giant earthquake returns to haunt California after study points out San Andreas and San Jacinto faults at highest stress level in 1,000 years, with risk involving Los Angeles and other populated areas.

Thinking about buying a used HB20? See why the 2015 model is still a crowd favorite, with cheap parts, easy-to-fix mechanics, a strong engine, and quick sales.

Anvisa reveals flaws in supplements from IDNLABS and suspends 11 batches that include creatine, BCAA, beta-alanine, and multivitamins; the measure affects products with quality, composition, and labeling issues, while consumers are advised to check the printed codes on the packaging.

Scientists have mapped for the first time the largest biological network on the planet, formed by underground fungi with an extension of 110 quadrillion km that transport 4 billion tons of CO₂ to the soil per year.