Metrorrey Apr. construction start date in doubt

Mexico's Monterrey city metro (Metrorrey) operator may not meet the April deadline to launch works, newspaper El Norte quoted Metrorrey director Raymundo Flores as saying. Metro officials originally planned to call for construction tenders by end-February, but not one tender has been called so far. Flores blamed the national budget impasse between President Vicente Fox and congress, as Metrorrey is counting on federal funding to support the project. "Those 437mn pesos [US$39mn] represent a little more than 50% of the 867mn pesos we need [for Metrorrey construction] for 2005," he said. "The [federal budget] controversy cannot last all year." The 2.2bn-peso line two extension would run 8.4km, including a 1.2km underground stretch, and have seven stations. "I don't want to rule out federal funding, but I cannot continue with the same certainty [for that funding] because in the next few days we could have a different financing alternative," he said.