After a year and four months, the environmental permit for installation of part of the stretch Oratório-Cidade Tiradentes (east zone) of Metro Track-2 monorail was released.
The preliminary permit for the monorail had been requested by the company in September 2010. The installation permit for a second stretch, to get to São Mateus, expected to be signed in 15 days, and the operating permit, which Metro needs to perform the activities, are still missing.
The Metropolitan Transportation Department says the track will be ready in 2014.
In addition to environmental requirements, Metro will have also to meet determinations such as bicycle paths, bicycle parking and signaling with several specifications defined by Cades (Municipal Environment Council for Sustainable Development), a group composed of 63 members, representatives from city hall, a number of sectors (trade, industry and other levels of government) and NGOs.
“To obtain the operating permit, we will have to comply with other 29 requirements. We will comply them, but there is the economic cost [to the State] and for the people who need transportation”, said the Metropolitan Transportation state secretary Jurandir Fernandes.
There is no news on the permit for track 17, which we have been waiting for a year and a half.
Another monorail, the track 17-gold, which will connect the Congonhas airport to Morumbi and Jabaquara, had its permit requested by Metro in July 2010.
To secretary Fernandes, some requirements are not the responsibility of Metro.
“We support environmental measures and bicycle paths, but why should the construction of bicycle lanes, a place to house the bicycles and the signaling be made by Metro? It is not the focus of Metro or CPTM.” We already have mitigating action because Metro, by removing cars from the streets, reduces pollution, noise, accidents.”
The works of tracks 2 and 17 has already been contracted. Contractors have already started their construction sites, but they are awaiting the permits. For future tracks, the Department says it is anticipating the difficulties.
“For the new projects, we are anticipating to see what will be required before hiring the works,” he says. Both supervisory bodies as applicants have to improve.
“We support environmental measures and the implementation of bicycle paths, but why should the construction of bicycle lanes, a place to house the bicycles and the signaling of 250 feet on each side be made by Metro? It is not the focus of Metro nor CPTM do these works.”
Licensing complies with the law, says City hall of São Paulo.
The environmental licensing processes underway in Sao Paulo follow the paths prescribed by law, according to the city hall of São Paulo.
The permits are issued only after orders are assessed at Cades (Municipal Environment Council for Sustainable Development) meetings and all requirements are discussed.
A lawsuit of the Public Prosecutor, which was filed in late 2011, delayed by at least one month the decisions on the matter, according to the secretary of the Green and the Environment.
The prosecution believes that the City hall granting municipal environmental permits is illegal, since it would be the role of the State.
The Court of Appeals granted an injunction blocking the permits. In December, the city hall reversed that decision.
About the bike paths and other requirements, the secretary of the Green and the Environment says that they have always existed.
In the case of the bike lanes, unlike previous licensing, it has to be delivered by Metro on the same day that the work begins its operations.
We already have a mitigating action because Metro, by removing cars from the streets, reduces pollution, noise… Metro is required, but it could be the automakers that put so many cars on the road.
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