Yucatan businessmen criticize the diversion of the Maya train, ‘the project was not well planned from the beginning’

Diversion of the Maya Train to Teya will prevent the expected economic impact. The project “should have been planned a lot better, the Federal Government is improvising as it is their custom, because they want to finish the project before the end of AMLO’s six-year term” says Rodríguez Gasque

Mérida, Yucatán, (September 02, 2021).- Presidents of the business chambers of Yucatan find in the Maya Train an important economic flow for the region, however, they await alternatives after the news that the railway will not pass through “La Plancha” Downtown Mérida as planned.

On Tuesday, August 31, the federal government reported that the Maya Train will not enter the Yucatecan capital, eliminating the option contemplated of a station in ‘La Pancha’; Neighbors in the area celebrated the decision, but the local businessmen did not. 

“The reality is that the Maya Train project has had many adaptations from the beginning, I think it was a project that could have been planned a lot better,” said Iván Rodríguez Gasque, president of the National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Canaco Servytur).

He recognized the interest of López Obrador to finalize the project before his six-year term ends, which is why, on issues such as the passage of the train through La Plancha, which is a complex issue in that particular case, there were several proposals, but without one clear definition of how it would be possible to do it.

He expects the implementation of strategies that allow the approach from the train station to the Historic Center of the city or the airport, “I do not rule out that in the future this may occur and I believe that it is more due to the need to finish it in three years ”.

Raúl Aguilar Baqueiro, president of the Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry (CMIC), recognizes that the Maya Train could bring an important economic benefit to the state, benefiting suppliers, plants that sell rubble, and fillings.

“Unfortunately today the challenge would be to determine what is going to happen to the grounds of La Plancha,” he said after the modification of the project, which canceled his visit to that area. Instead of the central station, he hopes that a central park could be consolidated in La Plancha, which is of big importance for the city.

Although Teya, where the train station will be built (in case the AMLO administration does not change their mind again), is very close to Mérida, “what we want is to rescue La Plancha and if the project is carried out, together with the state government and federal government, we can turn it into a great park for the city of Merida”.