During his participation in the ‘Railway route, Pacific station’ forum in the city of Cali, the Minister of Transportation, William Camargo, confirmed that in eight months the co-financing of the national government for the Valle Commuter Train would be approved.
As will be remembered, the Cercanías Train project seeks to connect Cali with its metropolitan area by rail, a project that the departmental government has been promoting.
In its first phase, the Cercanías Train plans to interconnect the capital of Valle del Cauca with Jamundí.
progress
In a meeting with the Ministry of Transport and the Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional, the Government of Valle del Cauca explained the progress that will allow the 70% co-financing corresponding to the National Government in this strategic project to be ready and approved in about eight months. improve mobility in four municipalities.
In this regard, Frank Ramírez, Secretary of Infrastructure of the Valley, explained that “this is a project not only of infrastructure, but of social, equity and above all environmental transformation.”
Ramírez said that the advances were exposed “before the different authorities, we already have a list with our Regional Transport Agency, the Management Entity, and those concerning the feasibility where we have the data of the route, of the rolling stock, of the workshop yard and all the elements that will allow us to advance to be able to present before the ministries of Transportation and Finance and obtain technical and fiscal guarantees”.
Great advance
For his part, Juan Camilo Pantoja, structuring director of Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional, assured that the project is progressing positively and in eight months there would be an answer on the co-financing of the national government for the Valle del Cauca commuter train.
Pantoja stated that “we have reached a very advanced process that allows us to take the project to the co-financing process of up to 70% by the nation and the region will contribute the remaining 30%.”
The official added that “we are already with the Ministry of Transportation having technical tables to present the project, so that they give a technical endorsement that will be taken to the Ministry of Finance that will give its fiscal endorsement and it will be possible to subsequently have a Conpes of strategic importance” .
During the meeting, the Minister of Transportation, William Camargo, also said that it is a priority for the nation to move forward with the Pacific Railroad project.
“We are working with the Pacific railway corridor, we already have a consulting firm that is developing the studies and designs for the pre-feasibility of the connection between Buenaventura and the central railway corridor, with the exploration of three corridors that will be able to guarantee the integration of the cargo that is generated and is destined for the port and the south of the country”.