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Fonatur on time crunch after several Maya Train modifications

Cancun, Q.R. — Modifications of the Maya Train means speeding up the project to ensure it is completed on time says the legal director of Fonatur. Alejandro Varela Arellano of the National Fund for the Promotion of Tourism (Fonatur) acknowledged that the original plans have undergone some modifications and with that, the project needs to be accelerated.

He says they are on a time crunch to get the train built and operational since president Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced the Maya Train will be operating in 2023.

He said that the time factor was one of the reasons why they decided a station would not be located on the La Plancha land in the Historic Center of Mérida.

“In the case of why the location was modified, for example, several factors must be looked at such as the efficiency of spending. There are also other limitations such as budget and the issue of time that has already been compromised by the health contingency due to the coronavirus,” he explained.

He also mentioned that some of the challenges presented by the technical design of the project have to do with environmental conditions and the presence of archaeological remains.

“Although there is a mapping of the archaeological vestiges, in the development, the magnitude of the vestiges is thrown. The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) discovers and sees the magnitude of the vestige which forces us to make a modification,” he pointed out.

He also said that changing the central Mérida station to the Teya area is more significant because in itself, it will bring additional economic benefit to areas far from the center of the city of Mérida where most of the activities tend to be concentrated.

“This decision to modify the project has a deeper regional impact,” he added.

Regarding the development of the Maya Train, he said that there will always be voices in favor and others against, with and without foundation, but despite this, the project has to continue.