Colombia roundup: Commuter rail link, roadworks, Bogotá metro

Colombia’s government will co-finance 70% of the 23.6km Valle del Cauca commuter rail project which will connect the city of Cali with the municipalities of Jamundí, Palmira and Yumbo.

Transport minister María Constanza García told reporters the project will require investment of around 10.5tn pesos (US$2.45bn).

The official added that the feasibility study has been submitted to the transport ministry.

ROADWORKS

Infrastructure agency ANI delivered 35.6km of the so-called functional unit 3 of the Santana-Mocoa-Neiva 4G highway project.

The works included upgrading the road between Gigante and Garzón in Huila department and the construction of the Gigante bypass, which will benefit more than 3mn inhabitants in the departments of Putumayo, Cauca and Huila.

The investment was around US$70mn.

Total investment in the project is US$507mn to upgrade the 456km route as well as the construction of a new road between the city of Neiva and the municipality of Campoalegre and seven bypasses in the municipalities of Campoalegre, Hobo, Gigante and Timaná in Huila, and Mocoa, Villagarzón and Puerto Caicedo in Putumayo.

BOGOTÁ SUBWAY

Following the disqualification of two of the four prequalified consortiums in the bidding to build line No. 2 of the Bogotá metro, the process will continue as planned, according to the head of the subway operator, Leonidas Narváez.

Bids must be submitted by December 20 and the award date is April 24.

The disqualified consortiums were APCA 1, made up of Mota Engil Colombia with 66% and CRRC Sucursal Colombia with 34%; and APCA 2, comprising China Harbour Engineering with 75% and Xi'an Rail Transportation Group with 25%.