New doubts cast on Mexico City-Toluca rail project schedule

Another incident affecting construction of the Mexico City-Toluca interurban rail link is raising questions about the ability to finish the project in August as promised by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

On Wednesday morning a metallic structure used to install voussoirs on the elevated viaduct collapsed without causing casualties, the general direction for transportation works of the Mexico City government reported, according to daily El Universal. 

The situation is expected to cause delays while the structure, that belongs to company Rizanni, is retrieved from the construction site. 

The incident is the second during construction this year and the fifth since works started in 2014, during Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration. 

The project has also been affected by other delays including route changes, rights of way issues, and cost overruns that have tripled the original capex for the 58km line. Capex now tops 110bn pesos (US$6.4bn). 

A 20km section from Lerma to Zinacantepec in Mexico state began operations in September, while the connection with Mexico City is still under construction and facing technical challenges. The biggest one is going from 2,250m to 3,100m above sea level, according to the project management entity. 

Despite the delays, in February AMLO promised to finish the project before his term ends on October 1. 

“The Insurgente train operates with 10,000 passengers per day from Zinacantepec to Lerma. Today in an inspection visit we reached Santa Fe station and we will inaugurate all the line as far as Observatorio [in Mexico City] in August,” he said via social media.