Ten days after the beginning of the works to evict the lands from La Plancha, 32 of the 68 railcars that were abandoned in the old central station have been transferred to the “dead way” of the new Railway Operations Center (Centro de Operación Ferroviaria: COF) in Poxilá, Umán, which represents an advance of up to 50 percent.
The construction of the new building that will host the University of the Arts of Yucatan will begin as soon as the eviction and cleaning tasks are over.
“Railway cars that have not been used for more than 10 years will have to be rebuilt in order to make them roll on the tracks all the way to Poxilá. These wagons and machines weigh approximately 40 tons each and due to their state of deterioration should not roll at a speed higher than eight kilometers per hour to prevent accidents or derailments, says a statement.
For this purpose, special chains must be adapted to complete the transfer in a safe way. The eviction is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. While this is happening, more than 15 thousand tons of railway material equivalent to 250 rail wagons are mobilized to the COF, a process that must be completed by the end of March.
Afterwards, the patio will be completely cleaned and the much needed reforestation program will begin in the area.
According to the work program agreed between the company Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec and the government of the State, railway assets will be classified and relocated outside La Plancha to a site with the proper technical and safety conditions for their storage.
Engineer Gustavo Baca Villanueva (general director of the Railroad Company) declared: “we are talking about goods that are owned by the nation and that may be rehabilitated and put into operation again. Other wagons can be restored and used for their value as historical furniture, witnesses of the rich railway past of our state”.
With an initial investment of more than 130 million pesos, the Higher School of Arts of Yucatan, which operates in the old train station, will soon be transformed into the University of the Arts of Yucatan.
La Plancha, Plaza Grande and Paseo de Montejo will form a circuit that aims to become a space where Merida families can live moments of relaxation in harmony with nature within their own city, and also one of the most important tourist attractions in Yucatan.
Source: Diario de Yucatán
