Come back and play: intersection of opinions between Petro and Galán over works on the Bogotá Metro

President Gustavo Petro and the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, once again referred to the Bogotá Metro works. This is not the first time that both leaders have exchanged opinions about this key project for the country’s capital.

(Read more: ANI adds $10,000 million to attend critical points on the Bogotá-Villavicencio road)

The ‘shock’ occurred after Mayor Galán pointed out during his speech in the Congress of the National Federation of Merchants (Fenalco) that The Government was interfering in the decisions surrounding public works in Bogotá.

“I know this may sound controversial, but Bogotá is also a victim of the central power of the national government. Decisions are made in Bogotá, but not for Bogotá. (…) This Government is getting involved in public works decisions in the city,” said the local leader.

In response, President Petro spoke out in his X account. In agreement with the head of state, considering that The Executive contributes a large percentage to finance the constructionhe has the right to give his opinion on the matter.

“If we provide the resources, we think. The resources of the Bogotá metro are 70% provided by the Nation,” Indian.

The president also assured that the Government not only has the right to hire international experts to address this discussion, “but to say what they said: that travel times with the elevated subway will not be reduced in Bogotá and, therefore, the investment made by the Colombian people is going to disappear due to pure sectarianism.”

(Read more: Controversy: Gustavo Petro’s daughter will present her clothing brand at COP16)

(See: ANI adds $10,000 million to attend critical points on the Bogotá-Villavicencio road)

‘Metro Line 1 advances’

The mayor of Bogotá once again addressed the president to put some points on the table.

In the first instance, Galán clarified that the resources “they are not going to give up” and they are running for advance in the materialization of Line 1 of the metrowhich already has 39% progress and, according to the local president, “It will reduce travel times for millions of people.”

Furthermore, he stated that “the resources that the Nation contributes to large city projects are not a gift from the Government, they are a right established by law”. In the specific case of this infrastructure initiative, he added that the District “it met all the legal requirements to access this financing, which materialized in the co-financing agreement signed in 2017. This is a commitment by several governments.”

“I invite you again to move the projects forward, for the good of the country. People need enthusiasm and our responsibility is to work to make it a reality”concluded the mayor.

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In another trill, Petro once again insisted that the way in which the project is proposed will not contribute to the reduction in travel times, Therefore, the main objective of these works would not be met.

“I see that you did not understand the study of international experts. Not only does it not reduce travel time if passengers go from Suba to Centro or vice versa, due to the problem of vertical distance between the station of the second and the first line that here you are not showing, but that the city as a whole does not reduce its travel times either, which should be the objective of projects of this dimension and value”, he assured.

It is worth remembering that the first line of the Bogotá Metro is planned for come into operation in the first quarter of 2028. The work will have a length of 24 kilometers and 16 stations, and the duration of the route is estimated at 27 minutes.

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