National Development Plan and the Railway Industry in Mexico

By @dM1nBlog

Learn about the important role that railway construction plays in Mexico’s National Development Plan.

The National Development Plan (Plan Nacional de Desarrollo, PND) is the document that outlines the main objectives of the Mexican government. It is created by considering the country’s most pressing problems and setting actions to address them throughout the six-year presidential term. The proposal is based on three pillars: politics and governance, social policy, and the economy. Within the economic section, efforts are made to boost economic recovery, including a couple of regional projects focused on the construction of railway lines and routes.

Below, we present the two key points in the National Development Plan that involve the use of railways to stimulate Mexico’s growth.

The Maya Train

The Maya Train is the most important—and controversial—project of infrastructure, socioeconomic development, and tourism that will be carried out during Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s presidency. The train will span 1,525 kilometers, crossing the states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. It will also pass through all the major tourist sites of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Although construction of the Maya Train’s tracks is currently underway, much of the route will follow existing rights-of-way, roads, and electrical lines. The train will have 15 stations.

Economically, the project is expected to involve an investment of between 120 and 150 billion pesos, with contributions from public, private, and social sources. According to the National Development Plan, this project will significantly increase the economic impact of tourism in Quintana Roo, create jobs, promote sustainable development, and protect the environment in the region.

Isthmus of Tehuantepec Development Program

The centerpiece of this program is the Multimodal Interoceanic Corridor, which takes advantage of the strategic location of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to compete in global markets for the movement of goods, combining various transportation methods in the region.

The objective of the project is to boost regional economic growth while respecting the history, culture, and traditions of Oaxaca and Veracruz. The plan includes modernizing the Isthmus railway and the ports of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz and Salina Cruz in Oaxaca. By constructing these railway lines, the project aims to provide services for cargo transport and other logistical operations.

Programa Istmo - Tehuatepec - Industria ferroviaria
As part of this development, eight billion pesos have already been invested since 2019.

What do you think of these ambitious plans for the current administration? Although the Maya Train remains controversial, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Development Program has already gained approval from the local communities, presenting a significant opportunity for Mexico’s economy and the railway industry.

Another key point is that both projects have highlighted the use of sustainability criteria in the construction of the railway lines, in addition to the environmental benefits that railways already offer compared to other modes of transportation, such as the lower CO2 emissions compared to road transport.

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