The company Perurail, responsible for transferring passengers from Cusco to Machu Picchu, announced the temporary cessation of its operationsthis due to the manifestations and blockages presented in different points of the railroad towards the Peruvian world wonder.
The determination would have been taken from an evaluation to the iron lay, which appeared blocked in different areas by stones and other objects, in the midst of a manifestation of entrepreneurs and settlers by the administration of the administration of the Hiram Bingham roadthe only one that has tourists from Machu Picchu Pueblo to the doors of the old Inca citadel.
“Perurail informs their passengers, travel agencies, tour operators and the general public that, since Sunday, September 14 restore the necessary security conditions ”quote textually a communication of the railway company.
They also mention that, as a consequence, reprogramming will occur that will affect the arrival and exit of tourists who were looking to reach Machu Picchu or who were already in the area.
“Perurail reiterates that it has no decision or position in the bus operation on the Hiram Bingham route. As a rail operator, our obligation is to transport passengers or load, as long as it meets the legal requirements, and there are the conditions to guarantee a safe operation”says the statement, referring to the attack suffered by their transport platforms last week, when strangers cut the air brakes and other equipment.
CONTEXT
The episodes of manifestations, blockages and marches, become more latent in Machu Picchuin the middle of the dispute between two groups of entrepreneurs and residents, who seek to operate the Hiram Bingham road, the only one that moves visitors from Machu Picchu town to the world wonder Machu Picchu.
In the midst of all this unfortunate panorama are national and foreign tourists, who arrived in Cusco and Machu Picchu in the hope of knowing one of the most iconic destinations in the world, however they saw manifestations, confrontation and even threats, in the midst of a hostile climate that does not benefit the tourism sector or those who depend on it.
Thus, from the ‘Front for the Defense of the interests of Machu Picchu’, they said they are unemployed since midnight of last Sunday, and that they will radicalize their protest if the authorities do not intervene the operation of the Hiram Bingham road, currently run by the Centeur company.
It happens that, the operating contract of this route fenhed on the last September 4, when Centetur had to withdraw its 24 buses from the way, however, since there was no winner who operates the road, the company decided to stay in the place moving passengers in order not to ‘harm’ to those who require this service.
So far there is no firm operator because, from the Municipality of Urubamba, they did not develop an adequate bidding process, installing in their replacement a ‘contingency plan’ by which they determined that a new company: San Antonio de Torontoy, had to operate the route with 18 buses and for a period of four months, in which the municipality rearranges its bidding process.
After this, Sernanp was approved so that these new units enter Hiram Bingham, and Perurail nodded to transfer them rail to Machu Picchu Pueblo, however, when he was about to do so, they denounced the brake cut and other elements in their transfer platforms, making this process impossible so far.
This and other actions have been taken in the worst way by the supposed new operators of the route, who declared themselves unemployed in Machu Picchu, interrupting the exit and entry of the tourist trains, the transfer of visitors to the world wonder, and others, generating a true climate of tension in the area.
FIGURE
300 million soles would be lost through the cancellation of more than 15 % of tourist packages bought to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu this end of the year, Citó Rosendo Baca, Tourism and Foreign Trade Manager of Cusco.
