The Federal Government opens public consultation for two passenger lines

Studies on the economic and financial viability of two passenger train lines in the South region will be available for stakeholders in a public consultation opened this Friday (April 12) by the Ministry of Transport (MT). One of the lines connects Londrina to Maringá, in Paraná; and the other one, Caxias do Sul to Bento Gonçalves, in Rio Grande do Sul. The analyses, ordered by the Ministry, have been prepared by Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

The Pará section will interconnect 13 cities and will be around 150 km long. The segment in the mountain range region of Rio Grande do Sul will connect the cities of Caxias do Sul, Farroupilha, Bento Gonçalves, Carlos Barbosa and Garibaldi. Until April 30, the contributions may be sent to the e-mail address consultapublica@transportes.gov.br. The on-site public audience is expected to be held next May, to hear the residents and local governments on the projects.

The intention is to use already-existing freight railroad sections, duly appropriate for the transportation of passengers in medium-speed trains. The projects foresee the operation of trains by the private sector, by means of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) or grants, with rates which compete with those of the road passenger transportation so as to relieve the roads.

Studies from other four sections have already been contracted by the Ministry and are under development: Pelotas – Rio Grande, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Conceição da Feira – Salvador – Alagoinhas – Feira de Santana, in the State of Bahia, Teresina/PI – Codó/MA and São Luis – Itapecurú-Mirim, in the State of Maranhão. These surveys are being made in partnership with the Federal Universities of Santa Catarina, Bahia and Minas Gerais.

Fonte: Ministério dos Transportes