Recife metro works to resume

Brazil's cities minister Olivio Dutra has inked the work order to resume works on the Sul line of Pernambuco state capital Recife's metro system (Metrorec) after problems in the bidding process has suspended works for some 15 months, the state government reported. Company Construcap won a 32.8mn reais (US$11.2mn) contract, which included finishing the Aeroporto and Recife stations, building a new passenger terminal at Joana Bezerra stations, and installing elevators and escalators at completed stations Imbiribeira, Largo da Paz and Joana Bezerra. The works are slated to be completed by end-2006. Other works that are scheduled to wrap up by then also include finishing construction of the Tancredo Neves station, which will house a metro/bus transfer terminal with a capacity of close to 60,000 passengers/day, and the Antonio Falcao, Porta Larga, Montes Guararapes, Prazeres and Cajueiro Seco stations. The Sul line will run 19km and increase the area's metro network to 39.5km, making it the country's second longest metro network after Sao Paulo. The number of stations will increase to 28 from 18, and daily passenger capacity will increase to 400,000 from 140,000. The World Bank is bankrolling US$102mn of the US$204mn project, and federal funds the remainder. The Recife greater metropolitan area has over 3 million residents.