• PHASE: With a winning bid equivalent to US $628 million, the consortium will be in charge of building the first 141-miles stretch of the controversial project that will run from the town of Palenque in the Chiapas jungle to the town of Escárcega in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
• CONTROVERSIAL: Opposed by some environmental, indigenous, and anti-government waste groups, construction of the first phase of the Mayan Train is set to begin on April 30th. The train is one of the few infrastructure projects not affected by Mexico’s coronavirus emergency declaration.
• RESOURCES: The 950-miles Mayan Train is supposed to connect the tourist resort of Cancún in the Caribbean Coast with other sections of southeast Mexico and will rely on direct public spending. The total price tag of the train is approximately USD 6.3 billion, according to a cost-benefit analysis.
